DaysofPal- Palestinian farmer Ahmed Khudair has launched a small agricultural initiative in northern Gaza, seeking to revive the land and confront soaring prices after losing nearly all of his farmland during the war.
Khudair’s original 100 dunums of agricultural land in Beit Lahia were destroyed, leaving him unable to access them due to continued Israeli military control over the area. Despite the scale of the loss, he has begun planting cucumber seeds and tomato seedlings on a newly rented plot, hoping that the coming weeks will yield a harvest that restores a measure of stability.
The war wiped out Khudair’s entire farming area, turning once-productive land into inaccessible territory. In response, he partnered with five of his brothers and a friend to cultivate 10 dunums in the Al-Tawam area to restart local food production at a time when Gaza’s agricultural sector is close to collapse.
Khudair said the initiative comes at a time when residents rely heavily on imported vegetables due to the destruction of farmland and the near absence of local production. He explained that the goal is to restore agriculture, even on a limited scale, and provide vegetables at prices people can afford.
The “Yellow Line” and the Struggle for Land
Before the war, Khudair grew strawberries and various crops. Currently, the conflict has flattened and rendered much of the land in northern Gaza unusable. Large areas remain behind what is known as the “yellow line,” a boundary inside Gaza that separates zones under full Israeli control from areas where Palestinians are allowed limited access.
This reality pushed Khudair to start over under difficult conditions. His current project depends on renting land and planting whatever seeds and seedlings are available, including cucumbers, tomatoes, and eggplants.
He said unemployment and rising food prices were key motivations behind the initiative. Many families struggle to afford vegetables, and he believes that if similar efforts expand, prices could begin to fall naturally.
Gaza’s population now depends almost entirely on imported produce entering through crossings controlled by Israel, where the flow of goods remains tightly restricted.
Even small-scale farming faces serious challenges. Khudair pointed to the high cost of production, including fuel for water wells, fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, and basic farming tools. Securing seeds has become particularly difficult, with prices rising sharply. A single cucumber seed now costs around one US dollar, roughly ten times its pre-war price.
Farmers also face declining seed quality due to supply disruptions during the war. Khudair called on local and international organizations to support agricultural initiatives by providing fuel, materials, and equipment needed for cultivation and irrigation. He stressed that such support could help restore part of Gaza’s food security, not only improve farmers’ incomes.
A Sector on the Brink of Collapse
Official estimates indicate that Gaza once had around 180,000 dunums of agricultural land, nearly half the territory’s total area. Today, most of it lies in zones under Israeli control or has been severely damaged.
According to officials in Gaza’s agriculture sector, only about five percent of farmland is currently being cultivated. Around 87 percent has been destroyed or damaged, and roughly 62 percent remains inaccessible under military control. Areas that once served as key agricultural zones have turned into crowded shelters for displaced families.
Before the war, Gaza achieved self-sufficiency in many types of vegetables and exported around 300 tons daily, generating significant income for farmers. Now, most residents depend on expensive imported produce.
The agricultural workforce has also been deeply affected. Around 55,000 people once worked in the sector, many of whom are now displaced and without stable income.
Despite ongoing risks, including frequent gunfire and shelling, Khudair and his partners continue working the land. He said the conditions are dangerous, but stopping is not an option.
The farmers are optimistic about the success of their efforts, which they believe will eventually restore access to their original land, enabling them to rebuild what they lost. For now, initiatives like Khudair’s remain small, yet they represent a fragile source of hope for reviving a sector that once played a central role in Gaza’s economy and daily life.
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