A significant proportion of Gaza's agricultural land, over 95%, is now unsuitable for cultivation, according to the FAO, which poses a serious threat of famine for the entire population.
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The agricultural crisis in the Gaza Strip has worsened significantly, pushing the region closer to famine. The devastation of farmland and agricultural infrastructure, coupled with the breakdown of ceasefires and restricted access for farmers, has crippled the region's food production system.
More than 80% of Gaza's 15,053 hectares of cropland have been damaged, with 77.8% inaccessible to farmers. The situation has deteriorated further, with 98.5% now damaged or off-limits, leaving only 232 hectares for farming.
The destruction extends to greenhouses, with approximately 71.2% of them damaged. Refugee areas like Rafah have been hit hardest, with 86.5% of greenhouses destroyed.
Critical agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation systems has also been extensively destroyed, exacerbating the crisis. This has severely crippled the capacity to maintain crops or recover production. Storage facilities, markets, and farming equipment have also been wiped out, further undermining food security and local food supply chains.
These impacts occur amid a blockade restricting humanitarian aid and commercial supply chains, leading to severe food insecurity. More than 500,000 people face famine-like conditions, and over one-third of Gaza's population goes days without food. Starvation-related deaths have been reported, with nearly 200 deaths attributed to malnutrition by early August 2025.
The worsening agricultural crisis reflects a combination of relentless conflict, restricted access for farmers, destruction of farmland and infrastructure, and severely limited humanitarian assistance. Addressing it requires urgent humanitarian access, ceasefire, and substantial investments in restoring Gaza's agricultural systems to prevent mass starvation.
Before the conflict in 2023, agriculture supported approximately 10% of Gaza's economy. However, as of April 2025, less than 5% of the Gaza Strip's cropland remains available for cultivation.
The food security analysis was first published on May 27, 2025, at 08:31 IST. The situation is particularly severe in Rafah and the northern governorates of Gaza, where nearly all cropland is out of reach. The destruction of greenhouses has increased to 86.5% in Rafah alone.
The FAO estimates that the agricultural sector has suffered over USD 2 billion in damages and losses since the conflict began, with recovery needs exceeding USD 4.2 billion. The FAO's Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, described the damage as not just a loss of infrastructure, but a collapse of lifelines for hundreds of thousands who once relied on farming and fishing.
The situation in Gaza is dire, and urgent action is needed to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe. The international community must act swiftly to provide aid, support peace efforts, and invest in the restoration of Gaza's agricultural sector to ensure the survival and well-being of its people.
- The destruction of agricultural infrastructure in Gaza, including irrigation systems and storage facilities, is a severe setback for the region's environmental-science sector and its ability to combat climate-change effects deemed critical for sustainability.
- As the agricultural crisis in Gaza escalates, it has become increasingly apparent that the region's ongoing war-and-conflicts and politics have direct implications on general-news topics such as global food security, causing international concern and the need for humanitarian intervention.
- The dramatic decrease in the Gaza Strip's farming capacity, with only 232 hectares of cropland remaining out of the initial 15,053 hectares, could have far-reaching consequences for the science community, making it crucial to prioritize peace and restoration efforts in the region as part of the broader environmental-science discourse.
