Under five percent of Gaza's farmland is usable due to the Israeli war on the enclave, further exacerbating the risk of famine in the devastated Palestinian territory, the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report reveals.
By the end of April, more than 80 percent of the farmland was damaged and over 75 percent was no longer accessible, leaving barely 4.6 percent of potentially arable land for Palestinian farmers, according to latest geospatial assessment released on Monday.
The FAO report notes that “the situation is particularly critical in Rafah and in the northern governorates, where nearly all cropland is not accessible while all the greenhouses in the Gaza governate are damaged”.
Before the start of the conflict, agriculture accounted for approximately 10 percent of Gaza’s economy. The agricultural sector in Gaza has suffered over $2 billion in damages and losses since the conflict began in 2023, with recovery needs now estimated at $4.2 billion.
The World Health Organisation, while criticising the amount of aid that has recently entered Gaza, has termed it as grossly inadequate.
According to FAO, “more than 560,000 people relying entirely or partially on crop production, herding, or fishing for their livelihoods”.
Agricultural wells across Gaza have suffered extensive damage, with 82.8 percent now affected, an increase from 67.7 percent reported in December 2024.
“This level of destruction is not just a loss of infrastructure – it is a collapse of Gaza’s agrifood system and of lifelines. What once provided food, income, and stability for hundreds of thousands is now in ruins.
The FAO and UNOSAT assessment, supported by an Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, reveals that the entire population of Gaza is at critical risk of famine due to prolonged conflict, displacement, and restricted humanitarian access.
With cropland, greenhouses, and wells destroyed, local food production has ground to a halt. Rebuilding will require massive investment—and a sustained commitment to restore both livelihoods and hope,” said Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General.
Gaza teeters on the edge of famine as Israel’s controversial aid plan introduces a chilling calculus: only those deemed “eligible” may receive food.
