Dura, Southern Hebron, Palestine- In the city of Dura, south of Hebron, cow manure is being transformed from agricultural waste into a valuable farming resource through an initiative led by Diaa Al-Rajabi, a cattle farmer who has developed a method for producing organic fertilizer, known as compost.
Al-Rajabi’s production process relies om the natural aerobic fermentation and decomposition of cow manure. The manure is mixed with straw and soil, water is added, and the mixture is then left exposed to air for around two months, allowing its components to decompose and blend together.
Following the fermentation stage, the mixture is processed using a fertilizer machine pulled by a tractor. The system allows larger quantities to be mixed and processed in less time compared with traditional methods, which relied on loaders and required greater effort and longer processing periods.
The fertilizer machine, locally known as the “butterfly,” turns, aerates and homogenizes the mixture, helping accelerate the decomposition process and producing a more uniform organic fertilizer.
Once the fermentation period is complete and the mixture has dried, the compost is transferred to specialized machines that separate the finished fertilizer from impurities. It is then packaged and prepared for marketing and agricultural use.
Al-Rajabi says the project is currently working to increase production in order to meet growing demand for for organic fertilizer in the Palestinian market and reduce reliance on imported fertilizers, amid rising interest in natural agricultural products.
The product has also begun attracting interest from foreign markets after meeting the required specifications and obtaining the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities. The initiative offers an example of a Palestinian product manufactured from locally available resources through natural processes supported by modern technology.
Beyond producing organic fertilizer, the project demonstrates how animal waste can be transformed into an economic and environmental resource that benefits farmers and the wider agricultural sector.
The production cycle begins on a cattle farm and ends with a natural fertilizer product that can returned to the soil, creating a sustainable approach to animal-waste management while supporting local agricultural production.
Story and Photos by Tareq Khamayseh
