Jericho Governorate lies below sea level and this gives it a comparative
advantage in terms of high temperatures in summer and winter compared
with other geographical areas, where the Valley's 'natural greenhouse' in
winter ripens most crops, and that the climate is convenient for some
agricultural crops such as palm And bananas, which require high
temperatures. These characteristics make Jericho area maintain the
agricultural harvest in winter when the produce of vegetables and fruits in
other areas of Palestine decreases. This region begins production of
vegetables early in October until the end of May to become the main
source of crops for other relatively colder places in the region.
The study aimed to shed light on the conditions related to the agricultural
sector which forms the backbone of the economy of the region that
suffers from many problems, notably, the lack of water, soil problems and
the problems of production and marketing. The study also aimed to
identify the fine conditions and human factors affecting the growth of
agriculture and arable land uses and to identify economic and social
characteristics of farms in the region. The study also surveyed stages of
development and the uses of arable land in the Governorate and the effect
of Israeli practices against the agricultural sector.
The descriptive analytical approach was used, data collected from
institutions and relevant bodies, apparatuses, and references in addition to
field work. A questionnaire distributed to farmers was also used. Then,
data was processed and analyzed using spss analysis program.
The study reached the following findings:
1. Natural factors and the climate play a major role in the selection of
crop growth.
2. Vegetables are the top agricultural crops in the Governorate, and form
(44%)of its economy.
3. The Study found that the region has been suffering from a severe
shortage of water.
4. The findings revealed the effect of Israeli settlements on the
agricultural system through control of water, (40%), land confiscation
and transportation hindering for security reasons.
The study presented the following recommendations to develop the
agricultural sector:
- Solving the marketing problem by establishing new markets, and
- Providing more water supplies through solving the water crisis in
the region.

Conference Title

(GeoPalestine 2010) Third Palestinian Geographical Conference

Conference Country

Palestine

Conference Date

June 12, 2010 - June 13, 2010

Conference Sponsor

https://www.najah.edu/ar/

Additional Info

Conference Website