Gaza Farmers Turn to Improvised Methods as Agricultural Sector Collapses
With access to fertilizers, pesticides, and essential farming inputs drastically reduced—and operational costs and energy shortages rising—farmers are increasingly forced to depend on locally available substitutes to continue cultivating their land.
Official data indicates that the destruction has been widespread, with more than 94% of agricultural land—out of 178,000 dunams—damaged or rendered unusable. As a result, overall production has dropped sharply, falling from approximately 405,000 tons to just 28,000 tons. Separate assessments suggest that less than 5% of farmland remains viable after the الحرب.
In southern Gaza, particularly in the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, farmers have turned to organic alternatives to replace unavailable chemical fertilizers. One farmer described using animal waste to sustain crops, explaining, “I use pigeon, chicken and cow manure. I soak it, then pump it through irrigation systems to distribute it across the land.”
However, even these alternatives are becoming harder to obtain. The livestock sector has also been heavily affected, with widespread damage to poultry, cattle, and sheep farms reducing the availability of manure and other natural inputs.
The broader context includes long-standing restrictions that have limited the entry of agricultural supplies into Gaza, further intensified by the ongoing conflict. These conditions have deepened the humanitarian crisis and accelerated the deterioration of essential sectors, including food production.
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