Dalia Association believes in the necessity of achieving food sovereignty within the Palestinian community, asserting their right to control their resources for sustainable development. In line with Dalia’s vision of national food sovereignty, the organization emphasizes the importance of independence in food production, utilizing local knowledge, wisdom, and natural resources as the foundation for strong and resilient communities.
Since 2018, Dalia has been implementing projects aimed at influencing and generating knowledge on food sovereignty in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Palestine - Jordan. The association has launched various initiatives and trainings to promote the concept of "national food sovereignty" and build community awareness around the importance of food sovereignty, preserving Palestinian agricultural heritage, and environmental sustainability.
Among its efforts, the 2020 project “Role of Community-Based Support in Achieving Food Sovereignty” emphasized the importance of food sovereignty as a right to healthy, culturally appropriate food and the ability to define local food and agricultural systems. This project produced studies on “Palestinian national food sovereignty under colonialism” and the “Status of Farmers in Gaza’s Border Areas,” both based on participatory research with activists, farmers, and experts. These studies were presented with a position paper aimed at pushing policymakers to adopt food sovereignty.
In 2021, Dalia produced a mini-documentary, “The Untold Revolution,” documenting the start of Palestine’s agricultural movement toward food sovereignty. This movement advocates for food production systems that rely on local resources, cooperative values, and culturally appropriate agricultural practices, aiming to break free from dependence on the occupier and global corporations.
Dalia supports community members through grants, environmental agricultural training, research, and conferences. One notable initiative is the “Giving for Change” program, which provides community grants to promote food sovereignty by funding small agricultural projects, offering training on sustainable farming methods, and supporting local seed use. These grants help communities produce food in sustainable ways while strengthening the agricultural sector despite ongoing Israeli restrictions.
Dalia’s "Environmental Agriculture" training focuses on restoring Palestinians' connection to the land and promoting traditional, sustainable farming practices. Since 2021, the association has trained cooperatives and local farmers in environmental agriculture, organic farming, and sustainable water management, contributing to local agricultural capacity building.
Dalia also organized “Community Giving” camps in 2021 and 2022, which brought together Palestinians from across the country. These camps focused on organic farming and building networks among local farmers, raising awareness about the importance of preserving local seeds and achieving food independence.
Dalia continues to advocate for national food sovereignty through local and international participation. The association has presented at key conferences, such as the “National Conference on Food Sovereignty” and the “World Social Forum” in Tunisia, discussing Palestine’s role in food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture.
In addition, Dalia publishes articles and conducts research to promote awareness around local seeds and sustainable farming. One of its significant publications is the “Our Local Seeds” blog, focusing on the importance of local seeds and biodiversity. Dalia has also published research on the reality of food sovereignty in Palestine and the challenges faced by farmers in Gaza’s border areas, urging the development of policies that support local production and enhance food sovereignty, especially under occupation.
