JENIN / PNN /A striking agricultural success story has emerged in the Jenin area, where farmer Aws Al-Omari has, over eight years, transformed dragon fruit cultivation from a small trial plot into one of Palestine’s largest specialised farms in the sector.Al-Omari said dragon fruit — a tropical crop native to Central America before spreading to Vietnam and later parts of the Arab world — has proven its ability to grow in Palestinian soil, particularly in Jenin, where the climate has supported the experiment’s success.He said the project began with a search for a crop that could withstand water scarcity, required minimal irrigation and still offered strong economic returns. After studying multiple options, he found that dragon fruit was well suited to the local climate and carried high market value.Al-Omari initially planted only a small number of seedlings on an area of no more than two dunams. The farm gradually expanded and today covers around 10 dunams, making it one of the leading Palestinian farms producing this fruit.He explained that dragon fruit requires little irrigation and minimal fertiliser, which enabled him to grow the project despite limited resources. Production improved year after year, reaching levels that now allow for both expansion and long-term sustainability.Regarding the production cycle, Al-Omari said the fruit ripens in batches, with plants simultaneously in stages of flowering, growth and maturity, resulting in harvesting rounds spaced roughly a week to two weeks apart. The production season runs from June to December and sometimes extends into January depending on weather conditions.The project has since grown beyond farming alone, becoming an educational and agritourism destination that receives visitors, school groups, university students and agriculture-engineering trainees who learn about the fruit and its cultivation. Visitors can tour the farm, pick the fruit directly and taste it fresh, in addition to attending training sessions designed to spread knowledge and encourage farmers to adopt new, economically viable crops.Al-Omari now hopes to develop commercial varieties of dragon fruit that are even more adaptable to the Palestinian climate and offer higher yields.On the marketing front, he said introducing the fruit to the market required considerable effort, including travelling between cities and obtaining the necessary permits. But demand has grown steadily due to increasing health awareness and rising interest in fibre-rich, antioxidant-packed fruits.Al-Omari concluded that the dragon fruit project in Jenin has become a leading model for alternative agriculture in Palestine — evidence that sustainable farming initiatives combining production, marketing, education and tourism are possible despite the economic and environmental challenges facing Palestinian farmers.This story was produced as part of the Qarib Programme, implemented by CFI – the French Media Development Agency, with funding from the French Agency for International Development (AFD).