01/06/2017 | Regional Seminar at GIMI

Regional Seminar (Jordan, Palestine and Israel) at Galilee Institute: Improving the Quality of Olive Production

The Galilee International management institute (Nahalal) held an advanced seminar on the cultivation and marketing of olives, during May 2017. The seminar was delivered to Jordanian and Israeli olive marketers and growers.

Senior growers and marketers from Jordan (Amman, Jerash, Ajloun and Al Zarqa) came to the seminar. The Palestinian participants came from Nablus, Tulkarm, Huwwara and Sebastia.
The Israeli participants came mainly from Emek Hefer, Wadi Ara and the northern Sharon region. About half of the participants were women, including Jordanian and Palestinian women in senior positions.

The faculty members focussed on advanced methods of cultivation and processing of olives and how to market. Participants toured several areas of the country and met with Israeli farmers.

The seminar was held on Kibbutz Mizra, at the Galilee Institute Study Centre. The kibbutz members warmly welcomed the Jordanian and Palestinian participants.

The seminar was held as part of a multi-year regional programme called “Olive Oil without Borders”, which aims to encourage regional cooperation in agriculture in general, in the area of olives in particular, and to implement advanced processing and marketing methods.

At the end of the seminar, during a short evaluation session the Jordanian and Palestinian participants spoke about their positive experience in Israel and especially the kibbutz where they were warmly welcomed. Also Mizra Kibbutz members were happy to host this special group: a good example of tri-lateral co-existence and cooperation.

The seminar was part of the cooperation between the Galilee International Management Institute and the Near East Foundation (2009) and funded by the US government.