OFID signs grant agreement with Care Austria to help farming communities in the Gaza Strip

January 19, 2017, Vienna, Austria. The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has signed a grant agreement with Care Austria for a project aiming at strengthening farmers’ livelihoods and food security in the Gaza Strip, directly benefiting around 7,500 people.

The US$800,000 agreement was signed by OFID Director-General Suleiman J Al-Herbish and Dr Andrea Barschdorf-Hager, Care Executive Director, who was accompanied by Dr Daniel Seller, Care Program Director.

The grant will help support activities including repairing damaged farming-related infrastructure such as irrigation systems, greenhouses and farmland, as well as providing inputs. Another component will focus on strengthening the capacity of agriculture and agribusiness community-based organizations and cooperatives through awareness building sessions, training on business planning and provision of technical assistance. The project is expected to directly benefit around 7,500 people.

OFID has approving a total of US$1.62m in support of Care initiatives that aimed at boosting food security and livelihoods in Jenin; improving access to education for vulnerable girls in southern Nepal; providing humanitarian assistance for Syrians in crisis and promoting agricultural income-generating activities in the West Nile region of Uganda.