The village of Wadi Fukin is a village of resistance and steadfastness. Situated southwest of Bethlehem district, it’s a beautiful village nestled in a luscious wadi. The water is plentiful and the land is fertile, producing the tastiest fruits and vegetables. Wadi Fukin is a valley of 11 springs where traditional farming made use of this water to develop the unique agriculture associated with this area. Similar to the fate of numerous villages and towns, Wadi Fukin is plagued with the most notorious, largest and fastest growing settlements such as Beitar Illit and other nearby settlements which have confiscated thousands of dunumns belonging to the village. The constantly and rapidly expanding settlements are swallowing up what is left of the village lands, throwing the inhabitants into destitution.
Abu Ibrahim is one of the village's well-known figures. With his relentless efforts to stay on the land and pass on the ancestral knowledge of farming and protecting the land, he and his father and son are the epitome of a generational steadfastness and boundless love for the land. Abu Ibrahim recalls the times when Wadi Fukin and other nearby villages were the “food basket” of Jerusalem and how today their market is limited to Bethlehem and Hebron. The traditional irrigation pools and aqueducts are used to irrigate rainfed high quality seasonal produce including exquisite fruits and vegetables. Wadi Fukin has garnered attention throughout the years because of its fight against settlement encroachment and water theft. This attention has benefited the farmers who sell their produce to loyal customers who come all the way to their land to pick up their groceries from these special producers. Abu Ibrahim also sells his produce in the Bethlehem Souq (central market). The highlight of the produce are the sweet grapes, figs and many more seasonal fruits and vegetables. Abu Ibrahim also grows the original Palestinian white cucumbers that are indigenous to this area in order to preserve it, as only a handful of farmers still grow this type of cucumber. Traditional farming methods are used by Abu Ibrahim, but he also uses limited amounts of chemicals in farming.
Wadi Fukin's continuous struggle against land and water theft has become a trademark of the village and its inhabitants and has drawn Palestinian and international activists alike to stand in solidarity with a remarkable village and a steadfast farming community.
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Product Availability: Seasonal fruits and vegetables year-round .
Product Selling Points: Bethlehem central market.
Volunteering Opportunities: Volunteers are welcome in certain harvest seasons like olive picking season.