Palestinian Agriculture Relief Committees http://www.pal-arc.org/ Mission Statement "PARC is a leading Palestinian NGO working in the field of rural development, environment protection, and women empowerment. We offer technical assistance and support, along with extension services to individuals and organizations working in similar fields. In carrying out our projects and activities, we rely upon the active and broad grassroots participation of our beneficiaries, and, in process, develop our experts’ capabilities and improve our employees’ skills. By doing so, we aim to significantly contribute to the building of a Palestinian democratic and civil society." PARC is one of the largest Palestinian NGOs (Non Governmental Organisation) which works in the rural sector with about 400 (primarily rural) local communities. Its mission as an NGO comprises two sectors of intervention: Support for rural communities Agricultural development projects Support for rural communities can happen in any of the following ways: a systematic analysis of the territories and of the conditions of the population a response to emergencies that arise because of the continuing conflict a strengthening of the local organisations and of the local social and economic resources using participatory methods of development Agricultural development projects focus on developing the entrepreneurial skills of the producers: raising of livestock, farm animals and honey bees. PARC focuses on projects of sustainable biodiversity (the need for self-sufficiency seen as very important for the Palestinian population) and for the transformation of agriculture to organic methods. Everything is oriented towards both the creation of a local market and an international one linked to Fair Trade. PARC works in olive oil, date, almond and couscous production. Trade Aid is currently only selling olive oil. PARC is one of the biggest NGOs in Palestine, which channels international funds to support people that otherwise couldn’t survive. The head office is in Ramallah. PARC doesn’t use money coming from international projects and donations to become larger; it concentrates on two reforms for Palestine: independency democracy It asks for support for the productive sectors of the country more than to distribute food charity. Personnel The number of employed personnel after the Intifada of 2000 increased to 136 people, 39% of whom are female. Training is considered very important at PARC and staff receive training in: financial management, advocacy, language courses of English and project management of election campaigns. A sign of the dedication and commitment the staff have to the NGO was that in 2004 they gave 20% of their work in a voluntary capacity. PARC was founded on the work of volunteers and is based on a strong belief in solidarity. It’s an organisation motivated by the professional ethic of the personnel involved within a common cause; the growth of the Palestinian society. Marketing PARC's mission is to fight against the growth of poverty of the people, especially those from rural areas: PARC is trying to link the “basket” of food that it distributes to the study of the local resources on the base of  micro-projects to reduce poverty, forced segregation, and unemployment. Thanks to international support it has opened very strong marketing channels with Arabic fair trade but also American, European, and now New Zealand fair trade through Trade Aid. Social programmes In the rural sector social change has been strengthened, various sector programmes have commenced for youth, agricultural producers and women. PARC has offered various services like country roads, public housing programmes and organisational skill training. Assistance PARC gives assistance to the Palestinian people that suffer because of the Israeli violation of human rights of the last 50 years, occupation and confiscation of  land for military reasons, the construction of the wall and the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory. It supports a national campaign against the occupation of the territories and the creation of the wall of apartheid. For this reason its work follows two tracks: assistance and development. It also coordinates a project “Work for Food” that aims to create various local infrastructure. Networking PARC is an organisation whose principal interest is the economic and social development of the rural population: in recent times it has concentrated on networking with other organisations.  It was elected by the other NGOs with the majority of votes to represent PENGON (the environmental network) and ACC (agricultural coordination committee). It works within the territories promoting the CBO, (organized base communities). It brought its services to 233 houses and trained 522 people especially on the development of the community.