Sharaka (‘cooperation’ in Arabic) is a volunteer-run initiative that aims to revive consumer-producer relationships in Palestine by promoting seasonal and baladi produce and traditional methods of agriculture. Since 2010, the group has set out on a path to redefine and reintroduce the concept of food sovereignty in Palestine by highlighting the need to return to local modes of production and consumption. Sharaka believes in the rejection of conditional aid and funding as a way of overcoming our cultural impasse and reaching meaningful self-reliance and independence.
Their activities include community outreach, education on traditional food preservation techniques, and volunteering with farmers. Several times a year, Sharaka facilitates produce orders for consumers in the Ramallah area by promoting specific seasonal products, such as freshly pressed olive oil during the olive harvest season and grapes molasses, and arranging their delivery.
In their quest to raise awareness about issues of food production and consumption in Palestine, the group set up an “Akli Baladi” market, a weekly farmers’ market where you can find baladi products and meet local producers. The market is currently held during the summer season. The atmosphere of the market attracts a large number of buyers and committed clients who await this weekly celebration with their families. The most recent location of the market is at Al Bireh Cultural Centre. Sharaka also holds a local seeds exchange market at the beginning of farming seasons. Follow them on Facebook to find out the dates of the upcoming markets.
The group finds creative and innovative ways to celebrate seasonal change and to fundraise for their activities. Two to four times a year, they open their ‘Majhoul Restaurant’, a mobile banquet with seasonal food prepared by the volunteers themselves and made out of ingredients grown by local producers. The objective from this activity is to encourage the purchase of local seasonal produce from Palestinian farmers and to feature traditional dishes that celebrate the seasonal abundance of traditional Palestinian farming. The restaurant has been a hit, as it offers the unique experience of offering fresh ingredients and seasonal flavours. Sharaka is also part of the Slow Food Movement, which is an international movement founded in Italy in 1986 that aims to promote alternatives to fast food and to preserve traditional and regional cuisines all over the world.
The shift that this group of volunteers is achieving is invaluable for the communities where they are working. In addition to the activities they run, they have established a strong network of baladi farmers who are producing seasonal and traditional food. Sharaka’s work has been extremely helpful to us in getting acquainted with some of the farmers in this guide in addition to the seasonal planting and harvesting calendar.
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Volunteering Opportunities: All activities are open for volunteers.