Work Model – Kaima Nahalal

A farm where people and the land grow together

Part of a Successful Network

Kaima Nahalal, near Afula, is one of four farms in the growing Kaima national educational network of youth-run CSA farms. Other sister farms include Kaima Beit Zayit (near Jerusalem); Kaima Hukuk (near Tiberius); and Kaima Tanzania, our network's first farm outside of Israel. All farms operate according to a unique approach to social change which synthesizes education, environmental stewardship, community support, and intergenerational connections into one cohesive model.

Our unique interpretation of the Kaima “employment as education” methodology has led to what we refer to as feminist farming, a concept concerned with encouraging women’s leadership, feeding and empowering communities, and repairing relationships across cultures and people. At its core, this approach explores issues of gender, food, autonomy, and community resilience. Girls and women work the land together and support themselves, in large measure, from the sale of our harvest. We also encourage other women to enter agriculture, a sector traditionally dominated by men.

Take a closer look at our model below:

Educational Platform

Using the farm as an Educational Work Environment (EWE), Kaima Nahalal relies on agriculture as our teacher and the farm as our outdoor classroom. In this effort, we are mapping a new strategy to expand opportunities for troubled girls and young women and engage the larger community, especially women’s groups, in the process.

Our results: within six months, 80% of our young farmers either return to traditional classroom learning or night school and/or enter rehab for the first time. Additionally, 75% of those who have turned 18 while part of the Kaima community serve in the army or perform national service, social responsibilities that were not previously on their radar.

Economic Platform

We follow a three-pronged financial platform with our budget covered by a combination of 1) self-generated income through direct sales to the public of our fresh, organic harvest, 2) government buy-in, and 3) philanthropy. Currently, we support some 40% of our operating costs, a number set to increase by 10% in the coming year.