Policy brief

Findings of the Assessment of Agricultural Cooperatives in West Bank: Challenges and Opportunities

This policy brief presents concrete strategies to improve the challenging situation that workers face in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) by exploring the full potential of agricultural cooperative enterprises in the West Bank.

The findings and recommendations derive from an assessment conducted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in coordination with the Palestinian General Directorate of Cooperatives at the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Agriculture.

The study profiles 230 agricultural cooperative enterprises in the West Bank, assessing their cooperative organizational capacity, including their various cooperative functions vis-à-vis the agricultural market, managerial and financial performance, and members’ level of participation. It identifies key challenges and opportunities for development, and draws particular attention to women’s roles in cooperatives.

It proposes a set of recommendations to enhance the cooperatives’ management and financial performance, as well as stimulate members’ active participation.