Assessment of policies, laws, and regulations related to fresh fruits and vegetables in the west bank, Palestine

Other Title(s)

تقييم السياسات و القوانين و الأنظمة المتعلقة بالفواكه و الخضروات الطازجة في الضفة الغربية، فلسطين

Dissertant

Ghushah, Dalya Imad

Thesis advisor

Husayni, Abd al-Latif

University

Birzeit University

Faculty

Institute of Community and Public Health

University Country

Palestine (West Bank)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2020

Arabic Abstract

بعد وجود نمط استهلاك منخفض من الخضار و الفواكه في فلسطين مشكلة خطيرة، حيث يمكن أن ينتج عن ذلك العديد من المخاطر الصحية مثل الأمراض غير المعدية.

السيطرة على العوامل التي تؤثر على انخفاض تناول الخضار و الفواكه، بما في ذلك التوافر و القدرة على تحمل التكاليف و المعرفة والسعر.

و توصي الدراسة بضرورة تحديث نظام سياسة الغذاء الفلسطيني، من خلال تطوير السياسات، و سن القوانين و التشريعات و اللوائح التنفيذية بطريقة تتوافق مع وتفي بالاحتياجات الحالية و المستقبلية

English Abstract

Background : The relation between a healthy diet and improved health status is well recognized.

Fruits and vegetables are among the preferable food choices when it comes to improving health.

According to the Stepwise survey conducted in 2010-2011, a Low consumption pattern of fruits and vegetables was identified among Palestinians residing in the West Bank and the Gaza strip.

A wide range of factors could affect this unhealthy consumption pattern, including current policies, laws, regulations, availability, affordability, quality, cost, awareness, education, and socioeconomic status.

Such a low consumption pattern can affect Palestinians' health in different ways and especially their contribution to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.

Objectives : In the current study, we aim to assess the available policies, laws, and regulations that may affect food consumption in general and fruits and vegetables (FAV) consumption in particular.

This study will help improve our understanding of the factors affecting fruit and vegetable consumption at individual and institutional levels and explore interests, roles, and points of view regarding the food policy process.

Methods : A mixed qualitative design was used.

A policy analysis of the current policies that may affect the production, procurement, distribution, availability, and consumption of food in general and FAV, in particular, was conducted, using two tools: a thorough document review, where we searched for and reviewed relevant documents, focusing on documents targeting the food system and most importantly those documents targeting FAV, including policies, laws, regulations, studies, reports, books, and research papers, produced by the Palestinian Government, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and United Nations institutions and others.

It included documents available on databases and internal documents collected from the visits to ministries and organizations "grey literature.

The main resource for collecting old and recent food-related documents for decisions, ordinances, policies, laws, and (Palestinian legal and judicial system) database regulations was Al-muqtafi developed by Birzeit University.

The total number of the collected documents after reviewing was 214.

The document review was followed and complemented by interviews with policymakers and stakeholders.

An interview guide was developed using a semi-structured interview form prepared earlier.

Participants from different sectors, including the governmental, non-governmental, and private sectors, were interviewed using the snowballing method for sampling.

The total number of interviews was 18.

We explored their interests, roles, and opinions regarding the food policy.

We also asked questions about problems and gaps in these policies, if found, to suggest needed modifications and recommendations to meet international standards.

This policy analysis was a part of a larger study.

The Ethics committee at the Institute of Community and Public Health/ Birzeit University approved to conduct the current study, reference number: (2019 (1-3)) (see annex 5 for further details).

Findings :Available documents regarding policies, laws, and regulations were collected.

The documents' analysis indicated that the legal system in Palestine had some outdated and fewer recent laws, decisions, ordinances, and regulations concerning food, especially FAV.

Most of the legislation is inherited from authorities that ruled Palestine for years.

Also, although some policies, laws, and regulations exist.

They do not satisfy the current needs and the changing situation, including more urbanization, technological development, and disease burden, especially Non-communicable diseases.

As a result, some recent strategies have been adopted as a first step towards satisfying the Palestinian population's current needs.

The implementation process of the policies and legislation is hindered by several reasons, including lack of awareness and attention toward such vital issues and their significant role in disease prevention and treatment - especially non-communicable diseases, and notably the role of the occupation in impeding the Palestinian sovereignty over their land and control over their resources, in addition to the overlapping of responsibilities and limited coordination between the policymakers and responsible bodies.

Conclusions : Having a low consumption pattern of FAV in Palestine is a serious problem, where several health-related risks such as NCDs could be the result.

Controlling the factors that affect the low intake of FAV, including availability, affordability, knowledge, and cost, through developing the Palestinian food policy system, including laws, policies, and regulations that comply with and satisfy the current and future needs are of utmost importance.

Main Subjects

Public Health

No. of Pages

120

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-1411939