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About UAWC
The Union of Agricultural Work Committees was founded in 1986 in response to the socio-political situation of the eighties in Palestine, characterized by a general decline in economic, agricultural, and health development as a result of the Israeli military occupation. As a grassroots organization initiated by a group of professional volunteers in the areas of agricultural engineering and development, the Union's priorities during the initial stages were formulated through a policy of resistance to Israeli measures designed to cripple agricultural development and infrastructure.
Staffed primarily by volunteers during the early stages of its development, the Union organized local committees throughout the West Bank and Gaza in order to assess agricultural needs and to aid in implementation and supervision of projects and programs. As a consequence of the volunteer nature of the Union, and the lack of efficient structures and policies to govern project vision and implementation, the Union was subject to a certain stagnation which detracted from its general efficacy, although at many levels, the Union was successful in its originally stated goal to effect positive change in the agricultural arena.
The recent political changes, and the emergence of the Palestinian National Authority, however, have precipitated the Union to evaluate its present programs and projects, as well as its vision for the future. As a result of internal and external evaluative procedures, the Union has recognized the need for its structures, policy, and vision to reflect this new reality.
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