The Ministry of Agriculture and the Civil Adminstration for Judea and Samaria gave 31 prominent farmers and agriculture officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) a three-day training program in Tel Aviv and the Hevel Habasor region west of Be'er Sheva this week. The goal of the program is to strengthen agricultural exports from PA-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria and to bolster the PA economy.
Many of the farmers are participating in a United States Agency for International Development project which grants 100 dunam (25 acres) to PA residents who pledge to grow produce solely for export, specificly cherry tomatos and colorful peppers for the European market.