Women Turning Milk into Dignity and Stability in Palestine

Masafer Yatta, located in the southern West Bank within Area C, comprises 11 rural localities with a permanent population of 197 resident families. Livestock breeding forms the backbone of household survival in the area. Sheep and goats provide milk, food, and the primary source of income for most families.

Women play a central role in this livelihood system. They are responsible for milking, processing dairy products, preserving traditional methods, and contributing directly to household income. However, despite active production, structural challenges, including limited electricity, weak storage infrastructure, restricted access to markets, and rising input costs, meant that much of the milk was sold at low prices or lost before reaching consumers. Income was unstable, post-production losses were frequent, and families faced persistent economic vulnerability.

Between 2023 and 2026, within a broader resilience program targeting conflict-affected pastoral households, the Agricultural Development Association (PARC), in partnership with Save the Children and BMZ, implemented a comprehensive livestock and market-support framework in Masafer Yatta.

At area level, 197 livestock-breeding households were supported. More than 300 breeders received over 35 tons of local fodder seeds, enabling cultivation across 3,000 dunums and reducing dependency on costly purchased feed. Forty tons of high-protein concentrated feed were distributed to protect newborn livestock during periods of delayed rainfall. A total of 136 electric milking machines were provided to improve hygiene, efficiency, and milk quality. Water access was strengthened through inflatable tank kits and solar-powered pumping systems. In parallel, 424 individuals received specialised training in livestock production, market readiness, and extension services.

In Al-Tuwani village, a small women-led milk collection initiative became the foundation for transformation. With targeted technical and financial support, it evolved into a fully operational Dairy Factory and Dairy Mall serving the wider Masafer Yatta area.

The intervention included advanced training in dairy processing, quality control, food safety, and business management. Stainless-steel milk storage tanks, refrigeration units, and packaging and labeling equipment were installed to ensure product safety and market competitiveness. Branding and promotional support strengthened product identity. A 10 kW off-grid solar energy system with battery storage was installed to secure continuous operation and significantly reduce monthly electricity costs.

Two incentive grants were provided, one to the women’s dairy cooperative and one to establish the private-sector Dairy Mall, creating a structured link between producers, processors, and consumers within a single localised value chain. A formal commercial entity was established to manage marketing and retail operations, expanding the customer base and increasing product diversification to meet local demand.

Today, the Dairy Mall functions as a local economic anchor. Fifty-two women are directly employed across milk reception, processing, packaging, and marketing. In total, 159 women benefit from the project’s services and activities. The initiative supports 114 households that depend partially or fully on dairy production as a source of income, while 51 shepherds supply fresh milk daily to the factory. The dairy network now connects nine villages across Masafer Yatta.

Approximately 1,700 individuals benefit directly and indirectly from the factory’s operations, through employment, income generation, and improved livelihood stability. Participating families report an average monthly income of around 1,500 NIS, contributing meaningfully to household economic security. Operational losses have remained minimal compared to previous conditions, reflecting improved storage, quality control, and structured marketing.

A critical milestone was achieved when PARC facilitated a five-year supply agreement between Al-Tuwani Dairy Mall and the World Food Programme (WFP) retail support mechanism. Through this partnership, locally produced dairy products are procured via the Dairy Mall, including within voucher redemption and food parcel systems.

This institutional linkage marked a decisive shift, from irregular retail sales and income uncertainty to predictable, structured demand. It anchored local production within a formal market framework and significantly enhanced financial sustainability.

The Dairy Mall does not operate in isolation. It is embedded within a wider resilience and protection framework in Masafer Yatta, which includes community protection committees, climate-resilience initiatives, renewable energy systems, and social support interventions. This integrated approach strengthens both economic and social stability, reinforcing the capacity of pastoral communities to remain on their land under fragile conditions.

The Al-Tuwani Dairy Mall demonstrates how agricultural relief can transition into a durable, market-based rural development model when combined with women’s leadership, renewable energy, technical capacity, and institutional procurement.

It protects livestock as productive assets, strengthens women’s economic roles, reduces vulnerability to market shocks, and links small-scale pastoral production to structured demand systems.

In Masafer Yatta, milk is no longer sold under pressure or lost due to weak infrastructure. It is collected, processed, branded, and marketed through a functioning value chain—anchoring households to their land with greater stability and dignity.