- ‘I use pigeon, chicken and cow manure. I soak it, then pump it through irrigation systems to distribute it across the land,’ farmer Mahmoud al-Shaer told Anadolu
- Collapse of farmland and input shortages force reliance on limited local alternatives
Amid the fallout from Israel’s deadly war and blockade on the Gaza Strip, Palestinian farmers are working with limited resources to maintain minimal agricultural production as the sector’s foundations continue to erode.
As conditions worsen, the availability of fertilizers and pesticides has sharply declined, alongside rising costs of operation and energy, in addition to strict Israeli restrictions on the entry of production inputs into the besieged territory.
This has pushed farmers to rely on local alternatives to continue cultivating what remains of their land.
Data from Gaza’s Government Media Office indicates that more than 94% of agricultural land, out of 178,000 dunams, has been destroyed, causing production to collapse from 405,000 tons to about 28,000 tons.
Reports by the Food and Agriculture Organization say available farmland in Gaza has dropped to less than 5% following the war.
Animal manure
In the Mawasi area west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, farmer Mahmoud al-Shaer relies on animal manure and organic waste to replace chemical fertilizers.
“I use pigeon, chicken and cow manure. I soak it, then pump it through irrigation systems to distribute it across the land,” Shaer told Anadolu.
The livestock sector has suffered widespread destruction due to Israeli bombardment and the blockade, with most poultry, cattle and sheep farms damaged, making manure sources scarce and forcing farmers to rely on what remains.
Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since June 2007 following Hamas’ takeover of the enclave, isolating it from the West Bank and the outside world. The siege remains in place, with the war further compounding humanitarian conditions.
“There are no fertilizers or chemicals. We are trying to keep plants alive at a minimum level,” Shaer said, noting that these methods “help strengthen the plants slightly but are not enough for successful farming.”
He said farmers also use food scraps and vegetable peels, along with animal waste, to produce organic fertilizer that helps improve soil and support crops.
Shaer warned that continued restrictions on agricultural supplies could lead to a near-total halt of the farming sector in Gaza in the coming period.
He said available pesticides are either ineffective or expired, worsening farmers’ losses, alongside a sharp rise in irrigation and energy costs.
The Palestinian farmer also pointed to severe damage to his farm from bombardment, including the destruction of poultry facilities and energy sources, amid a near-total lack of basic agricultural requirements.
“If anyone tells you there will be farming next year under these conditions, they are not telling the truth.”
Agricultural crisis
Agricultural expert Nabil Abu Shamala said the sector in Gaza is experiencing a “widespread collapse” due to the destruction of infrastructure.
“Only about 7% of agricultural land remains cultivated,” while Israel controls around 60% of it, significantly limiting farmers’ ability to use it, he told Anadolu.
He added that the destruction of agricultural wells and solar energy systems, along with restrictions on essential inputs, has increased production costs by more than 1,000%.
Abu Shamala said these conditions have directly affected agricultural prices and reduced purchasing power, negatively impacting food security and living standards.
On Oct. 17, 2025, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said nearly all agricultural land in Gaza had become “destroyed or inaccessible,” depriving families of their main sources of income and driving food prices to unprecedented levels after two years of war.
Abu Shamala said the use of organic fertilizer is an attempt to adapt to the crisis, but it “remains limited in impact and insufficient to save the sector.”
According to a statistical report published by Gaza’s Government Media Office on Oct. 6, 2025, the agricultural sector has incurred losses of about $2.8 billion due to two years of war.
The Israeli army has also destroyed 1,233 agricultural wells and rendered them inoperable, in addition to destroying more than 85% of greenhouses, according to the same source.
Israel launched a genocidal war on Oct. 8, 2023, killing more than 72,000 Palestinians and injuring more than 172,000, most of them women and children, and causing widespread destruction affecting about 90% of civilian infrastructure.
*Writing by Lina Altawell in Istanbul
