JENIN, West Bank / PNN – By Yara Mansour

Standing atop the green hills of Marj Ibn Amer in the northern West Bank town of al-Jalama, Manar Shaaban surveys her thriving pumpkin farm—affectionately known as “Beit al-Qar’iyyat” or “The House of Pumpkins.” What began as a backyard planting project has grown into a full-fledged agricultural hub, eco-tourism site, and women's cooperative, offering organic produce and homemade pumpkin goods.

Shaaban, a resident of al-Jalama for the past four years, started cultivating pumpkins on a small plot next to her home using pesticide-free methods inside plastic greenhouses.

Today, her farm stretches across 140 dunums (around 35 acres), though parts of it remain under threat of demolition due to contested land classifications.

“In 2010, I was producing and selling pumpkin jam but had to halt the project due to a dispute with a marketing company,” Shaaban told Palestine News Network (PNN). “That’s when I decided to return to the roots—literally—and build my own project.”

From Farm to Factory

Determined to break free from the grip of market middlemen, Shaaban not only expanded her cultivation but also established a small factory to process pumpkins into jam, dried goods, and even natural health drinks. Her goal: achieve full control of the supply chain and ensure economic sustainability for herself and others.

She receives strong support from her family. Her husband helps with plowing, fertilizing, and irrigation, while she handles harvesting with assistance from her children. The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture and other institutions have also backed her vision of safe, organic farming and women-led economic empowerment.

Around 40 women participate in the farm project, growing various vegetables such as leafy greens, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, and multiple pumpkin varieties. “I now grow nine types of pumpkins,” Shaaban said. “I began collecting different seeds to set our produce apart.”

Training and Organic Innovation

To ensure long-term success, Shaaban and her team sought training from institutions supporting women’s entrepreneurship and environmental farming. “We no longer work based on guesswork. We now follow scientific principles, and that has made all the difference,” she explained.

Shaaban's innovation extends to sustainability. With the help of an eco-digester placed beside her kitchen, she transforms farm and household waste—such as pumpkin peels and potato skins—into natural fertilizer and biogas. Every three days, the device produces 20 liters of liquid compost and four hours’ worth of cooking gas.

A Taste of Palestinian Tradition

Visitors to “Beit al-Qar’iyyat” can also indulge in a range of traditional pumpkin-based desserts, many made by seven women on-site. These include pumpkin jam, mashed pumpkin sweets, and locally known treats like “gelati” (dried pumpkin strips). One of the farm’s signature drinks blends pumpkin and beetroot without sugar, which Shaaban offers free of charge to cancer patients.

Also popular is the pumpkin “zalabiya,” a deep-fried dough dessert filled with spiced mashed pumpkin and nuts, inspired by a recipe from the northern city of Nablus.

The farm’s vibrant display of green, yellow, orange, and even black pumpkins has turned it into a popular backdrop for newborn photography sessions.

Growing a Network of Women Farmers

Shaaban has secured regular sales points in Ramallah (at Be Mwares), Jenin (We Can), and Tubas (Beit al-Mouneh), and even exports some products to a shop in Shefa-Amr inside the Green Line. On social media, her brand has a growing presence through a Facebook page and Instagram account under the name “Beit al-Qar’iyyat.”

She collaborates with recent female marketing graduates, offering them opportunities to sell products on a commission basis. “It’s far more empowering than dealing with large traders,” she said.

Certified for Quality and Training Others

“Beit al-Qar’iyyat” has earned certifications in quality control, safe agriculture, and food manufacturing. The farm is now also home to a “field school,” where Shaaban trains 16 women in chemical-free farming under the guidance of agricultural engineers.

Her message to other Palestinian women is simple but powerful: “You can create your own success and support it. Work at what you don’t love until you find what you do and excel at it. There’s no shame in hard work.”

This story was produced as part of the Qarib programme, implemented by the French Media Development Agency (CFI) in partnership with and funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).