Sustainable Development Strategies for the Conservation of Agricultural Land in the Light of Urban Expansion of Palestinian Cities: An analytical Study for Tulkarm City

This thesis is dealing with the study and analysis of the land uses in Tulkarm City through studying the different master plans of the city during (1948-2001) with emphasis on the agricultural use. The major aim of the thesis is to propose certain strategies for the conservation of agricultural land in Tulkarm City against the future urban expansion, and the prohibition of the decrease in the area devoted for agricultural use within the master plans of the city. The study highlighted the significance of agricultural value of Tulkarm City especially the significance that the plains and the remaining fertile land in the city have. Also, it focused on the value of agricultural sector in the Palestinian economy in general and in Tulkarm in particular. The methodology of the thesis has depended on both the descriptive and analytical methods through the study and analysis of the master plans of the city in certain years, based on the available data from the related sources as well as the results of the field survey conducted by the author. The results of the study indicated the interference among the various urban land uses in Tulkarm and the decrease in the area of agricultural land within the previous master plans. In addition, it showed the absence of strategies to conserve and develop the agricultural land, the lack and absence of laws and regulations on the local level as well as the lack of implementation policies of these laws and regulations. The study has recommended the necessity of combining the efforts of all related institutions in the Palestinian Authority in general and in Tulkarm in particular to limit and prohibit the continuous decrease in the area devoted for agriculture, especially the fertile land, against the increased urban expansion. Moreover, it strongly recommended that such institutions take more clear and distinct decisions towards the distribution and allocation of land uses. Finally, it emphasized the significance of considering the right of future generations in the remaining limited natural resources, of which land is the most valuable.