Trees for Life Program

For a number of years Ethical Consumer has been a proud supporter of the Trees for Life programme co-ordinated by the Palestinian Fair Trade Association (PFTA). With every new Ethical Consumer gift subscription, we make a donation to the program, providing an olive tree sapling for farmers in Palestine. 

The Trees for Life Committee targets young families, starter farmers, small farmers, women farmers and, farmers who have recently cultivated lands that have been impacted by the Israeli wall or have been subject to field or trees destruction by the Israeli military.

In 2018 more than 22,646 saplings have been distributed to over 257 farmers in 22 villages in the West Bank. This is up from 250 farmers in 2017 when around 14000 saplings were donated. The UK made the single largest donation to the scheme of over £29,135 through Zaytoun, the UK co-ordinating solidarity body. 

During the 2017-18 planting season, our gift subscriptions resulted in 223 organic saplings being distributed throughout the West Bank.

Why do we need the Trees for Life program? 

Over the last decade, some Palestinian farmers have been left with nothing as their crops have been demolished and their land taken for Israeli settlements. Young and small farmers have found it particularly difficult to establish and expand their land. 

The Trees for Life program helps to establish a relationship between Palestinian farmers and the fair trade movement. Grassroots solidarity organisations around the world have raised funds for the purchase of thousands of seedlings. Since the program started in 2016, the number of farmers participating has significantly grown from 129 in the first year, to 257 in 2018. A total of 3,154 farmers have benefited from the program over the years.