Unusable agricultural land in Gaza exceeds 95%, threatens the entire population with famine, as confirmed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
In the Gaza Strip, the agricultural sector is facing a catastrophic crisis, with the majority of farmland and greenhouses severely damaged or inaccessible to farmers. According to a recent food security analysis, over 80% of Gaza's farmland has been damaged, leaving only 4.6% of the land cultivable as of April 2025.
The current causes of this agricultural crisis are primarily the extensive damage to cropland and greenhouses caused by ongoing armed conflict, restricted access due to security zones and the blockade. Over 98.5% of cropland is either damaged or inaccessible, with less than 1.5–4.6% actually available for cultivation. Additionally, around 71–86% of greenhouses are damaged, especially in areas like Rafah and Gaza City.
The destruction extends to critical infrastructure such as irrigation systems, roads, storage facilities, and agricultural equipment. The situation is exacerbated by a suffocating blockade that limits the delivery of essential inputs like seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and humanitarian aid.
The FAO Deputy Director-General, Beth Bechdol, described the damage as a collapse of lifelines for hundreds of thousands who once relied on farming and fishing. Since the conflict began, the agricultural sector in Gaza has suffered over USD 2 billion in damages and losses, with recovery needs exceeding USD 4.2 billion.
Satellite imagery was used in the geospatial assessment conducted by the FAO and UNOSAT. The situation is particularly severe in Rafah and the northern governorates of Gaza, where nearly all cropland is out of reach. By September, projections suggest nearly half a million people could be facing starvation.
Current and proposed solutions to address the crisis focus on urgent, safe, and sustained humanitarian access to allow entry of food assistance, farming inputs, fuel, and medical supplies. Immediate investment and support are also needed to restore local food production capacity, including rehabilitation of irrigation systems, greenhouses, and cropland.
Ensuring protection of farmland and agricultural livelihoods is also crucial. This can be achieved by ceasing hostilities and facilitating safe farmer access to lands. Longer-term international support for rebuilding Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure and market access is necessary to stabilize food supplies. Implementing conflict-sensitive approaches that prioritize civilian well-being and restore sustainable livelihood systems is also vital.
Without these shifts—particularly ending ongoing destruction, easing the blockade, and rebuilding agricultural capacity—food production in Gaza cannot be reactivated, worsening famine risks and humanitarian suffering.
- The crisis in Gaza's agricultural sector, largely due to climate change and environmental science-related challenges like damage to croplands and greenhouses, is intertwined with war and conflicts, leading to severe food insecurity and a potential famine.
- In the realm of politics and general news, the ongoing destruction of farmland, irrigation systems, roads, and important infrastructure in Gaza, coupled with a restrictive blockade, continues to cripple local food production and exacerbate humanitarian crises.
- To effectively address the agricultural crisis in Gaza, it is essential that immediate action is taken to ensure safe access for humanitarian aid, farming inputs, and medical supplies, combined with long-term international support for rebuilding agricultural infrastructure, promoting conflict-sensitive approaches, and ending the blockade and hostilities to reactivate food production and alleviate famine risks.
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