Small-scale projects offer hope for Gaza farmers rebuilding lives | Agriculture News
Nuseirat, Gaza Strip – Mohammad al-Halabi, 50, is tending to tomato and eggplant seedlings in a 300-square-meter plot located in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza. He carefully inspects the leaves, waters the plants, and monitors their growth in an effort to return to his roots in farming, a profession he shared with his father, Marwan, on their land in Jabalia, northern Gaza.
Once, al-Halabi operated a much larger plot of approximately 40,000 square meters (about 10 acres), where he cultivated strawberries, tomatoes, flowers, potatoes, and eggplants. His four children—Mahmoud, 30; Reham, 27; Issa, 24; and Omar, 20—worked alongside him, relying on agriculture for their family’s livelihood.
“I have been working in agriculture since I was a child,” al-Halabi said. “The land is my life, and I have spent my whole life farming it.”
His farmland was destroyed in February 2024 by Israeli forces, part of a broader military campaign in Jabalia. Al-Halabi described the land as now being covered with rubble and remnants of conflict, including parts of missiles and other military debris.
The extensive damage has rendered the land unusable for farming, requiring significant rehabilitation efforts before it can be cultivated again.
In response to his displacement, al-Halabi began renting the small plot in Nuseirat at the start of the conflict. He has grown whatever he could acquire, despite the challenges.
“Agriculture is my profession,” al-Halabi stated. “Even after being displaced, I couldn’t leave it. I found a small piece of land and planted whatever I could get.”
Despite his efforts, the small plot yields only a few kilograms of produce, insufficient for sale and barely enough to support his family.
“When I see the plant growing and producing fruit, I feel that I can still farm,” he noted. “The land is small, but it has potential, and hopefully it will produce a crop.”
The agricultural sector in Gaza has suffered widespread damage, according to data from Gaza’s Government Media Office. More than 87 percent of agricultural land has been destroyed, with approximately 8,700 agricultural wells rendered inoperable and 7,748 farms—housing cattle, sheep, and poultry—lost to the conflict. Greenhouses have also been significantly affected, with annual vegetable and fruit production plummeting from about 524,000 tonnes to roughly 20,000 tonnes.
Naser Deeb, director-general of Agricultural Extension at Gaza’s Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted that the damage extends to farmland, water sources, irrigation systems, wells, and agricultural facilities. He has assessed various agricultural sites across Gaza, noting that many require extensive rehabilitation before production can resume.
“Farmers today are facing several problems at the same time,” Deeb explained. “Even if a farmer returns to his land, that does not mean the land is ready for cultivation. The soil needs rehabilitation, water sources and irrigation systems need repairs, and farmers require seeds, fertilizers, and essential equipment.”
The repercussions are felt across farming families and markets in Gaza, reducing the availability of fresh produce and complicating efforts for farmers to restore their livelihoods.
Despite these challenges, some farmers are attempting to rebuild through small-scale projects.
Mohammad Abdul Naser Hassan al-Jadba, 40, from Sheikh Ajleen in Gaza City, lost his income as a result of the conflict when his farmland became restricted by the “Yellow Line,” a boundary controlled by Israeli forces. Fearing for his safety, al-Jadba opted to rent a small plot in Deir el-Balah, where he has established a nursery and greenhouse for tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers.
With support from a Belgian development fund, he built the greenhouse and secured agricultural supplies, allowing him to sustain his family.
“Before renting the farm, my income was zero,” al-Jadba said. “Today, I can support my family, and my monthly income has reached around 3,000 shekels (approximately $1,015).”
Additionally, al-Jadba has employed two farmers in the greenhouse, both of whom had been previously unemployed.
“For me, this project was not just agricultural support,” he added. “It was a real opportunity to return to work, regain my source of income, and become self-reliant again.”
