Small-Scale Farming Projects Offer Hope to Gaza Farmers Rebuilding Lives
Eman Abu Zayed
Amid the devastation in Gaza, farmers are turning to small-scale projects like rented plots and greenhouses to rebuild their livelihoods. Despite limited yields, these efforts offer a glimmer of hope, as most agricultural land has been destroyed and recovery is slow.
Amid the war-ravaged landscape, many Gaza farmers are striving to rebuild their lives through small-scale agricultural projects, from renting plots to constructing greenhouses, as a means to sustain their profession and feed their families.
Mohammad al-Halabi, 50, currently tends tomato and eggplant plants on a 300-square-meter plot at the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. He once owned a farm of about 40,000 square meters (roughly 10 acres) in Jabalia, northern Gaza, where he grew strawberries, tomatoes, flowers, potatoes, and eggplants. His four children—Mahmoud, 30, Reham, 27, Issa, 24, and Omar, 20—also worked alongside him, relying on agriculture as their primary income.
“I’ve been farming since I was a child. The land was my life, and I spent my whole life cultivating it,” al-Halabi shared.
According to him, the family’s entire farmland was bulldozed by Israeli forces in February 2024 during the destruction of Jabalia. The area now lies in ruins, strewn with war debris, requiring extensive rehabilitation before it can be farmed again.
As a result, al-Halabi shifted to renting this small plot in Nuseirat after leaving his home. The plot yields only a few kilograms of each crop, enough for his family but not for market sales. Still, he said: “When I see the plants grow and bear fruit, I feel I can still farm. The land is small, but it has potential.”
According to data from the Gaza Government Media Office, over 87% of agricultural land in Gaza has been destroyed. About 8,700 agricultural wells were damaged, 7,748 livestock, sheep, and poultry farms were hit, and over 87% of greenhouses were damaged. Annual vegetable and fruit production has plummeted from about 524,000 tons to around 20,000 tons.
Naser Deeb, Director General of the Agricultural Extension Agency under Gaza’s Ministry of Agriculture, said the damage affects not just crops but also soil, water sources, irrigation systems, and agricultural infrastructure. He emphasized that damaged farmland needs comprehensive restoration before production can resume.
“Farmers today face multiple problems at once. Even if farmers return to their land, it’s not ready for cultivation. The soil needs restoration, water sources and irrigation systems must be repaired, and seeds, fertilizers, and equipment need to be provided,” Deeb said, adding that these issues are impacting farming families and markets across Gaza, reducing fresh produce supply and hindering livelihood recovery.
Other farmers are seeking to rebuild through small projects. Mohammad Abdul Naser Hassan al-Jadba, 40, from Sheikh Ajleen in Gaza City, lost his income after his farmland fell on the other side of the “Golden Road”—a boundary controlled by Israeli forces in Gaza. He knew accessing the land was too dangerous.
Al-Jadba rented a small plot in Deir el-Balah, building a nursery and greenhouse to grow tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. He received funding from a Belgian development fund to construct the greenhouse and buy agricultural supplies. “Before renting the farm, my income was zero. Today, I can support my family, with a monthly income of about 3,000 shekels (around $1,015),” he said.
The project also allowed him to employ two previously unemployed farmers on a long-term basis in the greenhouse. “For me, this project is not just agricultural support. It’s a real chance to get back to work, regain income, and be self-sufficient in life,” al-Jadba shared.
