Quality Technologies Revitalizing Agriculture
West Bank and Gaza
Overview
USAID’s Quality Technologies Revitalizing Agriculture (Q’tra) Activity (2023-2028) is a five-year, $55 million initiative aimed at enhancing freshwater conservation and revitalizing agriculture to strengthen water and food security while stimulating economic growth in the West Bank and Gaza. Q’tra works with farmers to adopt tailored irrigation technologies and climate-smart agricultural practices that boost productivity and climate resilience. Through the use of smart irrigation systems, farmers can make informed decisions about when and how much to irrigate their crops while optimizing their use of agrochemicals. Moreover, this approach helps farmers increase the availability, quality, and environmental management of their water supplies. Shifting to solar-powered technologies also helps reduce energy consumption, contributing to measures that help local communities build resilience, improve competitiveness, and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Expected Impact
- 11,500 farmers and stakeholders who are more resilient to the impacts of climate change
- 6 million cubic meters of annual water savings
- 3.5 megawatts of annual clean energy generation capacity supported
- 2 million cubic meters of annual additional water
- 35,000 tones of increased production of plant and animal resources
Q’tra’s activities focus on high vegetation water use hotspots across the West Bank and Gaza, such as: Tubas, Jericho, Jenin, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, Bethlehem, and Hebron in the West Bank, and Rafah, Khan Younis, and Middle and Northern Governorates in Gaza. During the post-conflict recovery of Gaza, Q’tra will strengthen food security by helping farmers increase agricultural productivity and improve the availability and functionality of irrigation water resources.
Objectives
- Improve the efficiency of water use for irrigation
- Adapt and build farmers resilience to climate change
- Revitalize the agriculture sector
Approach
Q’tra uses a flexible co-investment fund to provide farmers, cooperatives, and water-user associations (WUAs) with appropriate, high-quality technologies, and equipment such as low-flow emitters, computerized irrigation systems, plastic lining for ponds, aquaponic systems, hydroponic systems, solarization equipment, and reverse osmosis units. Through training and awareness raising, Q’tra builds the capacity of farmers to properly operate and maintain new technologies, improve production and irrigation practices, and manage climate risks. Q’tra also strengthens cooperatives, farmers’ organizations, and WUAs, enabling them to better serve their farmer members and communities to improve water management, productivity, and climate resilience. Q’tra leverages local capacity and promotes the participation and social inclusion of women, youth, and people with disabilities. In Gaza, the Activity focuses on supporting soil decontamination and rehabilitation, providing additional climate-smart agricultural inputs and technologies such as seeds, greenhouses, livestock shelters, and fishing equipment, and training farmers in improved practices.
