Since 2004, NICCO has supported small scale olive farmers in Jordan to improve the quality of their olive oil, and has introduced an environmentally friendly and material-cycle oriented model of organic farming methods.

The olive oil produced in this project has been JAS-certified as organic and has also increased in value, thus successfully increasing the income of the olive farmers. Based on this success, NICCO aims to also increase the income of poor olive farmers at the West Bank in Palestine* by similarly producing high quality olive oil there.

The purpose of NICCO in Jordan is not limited to this one project, but is, most importantly, to create a network between olive farmers in Jordan, Israel, Palestine, and local NGOs, corporations and related administrative bodies. The underlying goal is to support regional peace by helping those disadvantaged through adverse circumstances to improve their lives, as poverty is one of the main causes of armed conflicts and social unrest.

In the history of Palestine, olives had been cultivated for 6000 years, and nowadays olive production accounts for between 15 and 19% of this area's agricultural production. NICCO's primary project in Tubas consists of assisting in the production of  'Super Tasty Olive Oil'.

The Tubas region of the West Bank produces a lot of olive oil. However the location is remote, with poor access to any major city, and the agricultural skills of farmers there are not up-to-date, as information about modern farming techniques is often inaccessible to the local farmers. As a result, most of the olive farmers live in relative poverty.

On the other hand, the Tubas region is a secure place compared to most other regions, in the West Bank, therefore Tubas is suitable for this kind of enterprise. Taking these factors into consideration, NICCO decided to start its olive production project in the Tubas region. 

The word "permaculture" comes from three words - permanence, agriculture and culture. This environmentally friendly farming system was scientifically developed by Bill Mollison in Australia. Its features are based on a sustainable method of using natural fertilizers and organic agriculture which is not only kind to the environment, but also creates a comprehensive interaction between farmland, cities, economics, people, buildings, marine products, stock raising, earth and water. 

For example, instead of using a large quantity of pesticides for insect control, NICCO's project plants Neem trees and other kinds of trees which cover the environment of the project area, as well as using the extracted olive oil lees for making fuel and manure for fertilization. Following the project in Jordan, NICCO plans to repeat the model of 'Super Tasty Olive Oil' production in the Tubas region by promoting the use of permaculture. 

NICCO sets a target of ensuring that the olive farmers will have better lives. However, rather than achieving this through charity, the goal is that the olive farmers will achieve this by making profit from their high quality products. Ideally, their olive oil should be available in international markets, such as Japan. We are assisting the farmers to produce a highly accepted olive oil in order to meet the demands of consumers across the world. We are therefore very particular about the quality of 'Super Tasty Olive Oil'. 

The kind of olives we use is called Nabari. The Nabari type of olives is a naturally grown original strain that has been cultivated for a long time in the regions of Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. Nabari olives are fruity, strong and have a wild taste. Every year, one thousand Nabari olive trees are planted.

At NICCO's project in Jordan, farmers gather Nabari olives by hand, and the olive oil is extracted within 24 hours. This process produces the full flavor of an extra virgin olive oil. This olive oil is JAS-certified as organic, which raises its value and makes it highly appreciated by Japanese consumers. 

Following the Jordanian project, buyers and trading companies in Japan hope for the success of the 'Super Tasty Olive Oil' project in Palestine. 

NICCO is organizing a network between NICCO, the Palestinian Interim Self-Government, Israel and Jordan in order to efficiently produce 'Super Tasty Olive Oil' on a larger scale, and by doing so also contributing toward a more stable peace foundation in these areas for both immediate and long term benefit.

Opening a workshop with participants from different countries in the region is one way that NICCO hopes to develop this network. In March 2008, the second workshop was held in Jericho, Palestine with many Israeli specialists participating and discussing a variety of issues concerning olive oil. Some of the issues and topics included the problems of olive cultivation, which is a common issue among the three countries, improving the marketing of Palestinian olive oil in the international market, ensuring that the olive oil meets the international standards of quality. 

* NOTE: In this text, Palestine refers to the Palestinian Interim Self-Government and in geographical terms to the area of the West Bank and Gaza strip.