Gaza Cropland: 95% Unusable – UN Report
- assessment highlights a dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where damage and access limitations have crippled the agrifood system.Cultivation is possible on less than 5% of cropland, which...
- Beth bechdol,Deputy Director-general of the Food and Agriculture Association,stated that the destruction represents "a collapse of Gaza’s agrifood system and of lifelines." The FAO conducted the assessment wiht...
- Before the recent conflict, Gazan farmers cultivated citrus fruits, dates, and olives, despite the region's high population density.
Teh U.N. reports a catastrophic collapse in Gaza’s agrifood system: a shocking 95% of Gaza’s cropland is unusable.This critical assessment reveals that cultivation is possible on a mere 4.6% of the land, pushing half a million people toward starvation due to import restrictions and widespread damage from the recent conflict.Over 80% of Gaza’s farmland has been devastated, with nearly three-quarters of greenhouses and over 80% of wells damaged, hindering any possibility of food production. The FAO, working with the U.N. Satellite Center, details how Israeli restrictions and evacuation orders have made agricultural areas inaccessible. For more insights into the ongoing crisis, News Directory 3 is providing up-to-the-minute updates. Discover what’s next as aid efforts ramp up.
Gaza Agrifood System Faces Collapse, Famine Risk Soars
Updated May 27, 2025
A recent U.N. assessment highlights a dire situation in the Gaza Strip, where damage and access limitations have crippled the agrifood system.Cultivation is possible on less than 5% of cropland, which dramatically increases the risk of famine.
Beth bechdol,Deputy Director-general of the Food and Agriculture Association,stated that the destruction represents “a collapse of Gaza’s agrifood system and of lifelines.” The FAO conducted the assessment wiht the U.N. Satellite Center.
Before the recent conflict, Gazan farmers cultivated citrus fruits, dates, and olives, despite the region’s high population density. Now, import restrictions following an 11-week blockade have left half a million people facing starvation, according to a global hunger monitor.
The U.N. assessment revealed that only 688 hectares, or 4.6% of the total,are available for cultivation. Over 80% of Gaza’s cropland suffered damage during the conflict, with 77.8% remaining inaccessible due to Israeli restrictions and evacuation orders.
The report also indicated that nearly three-quarters of greenhouses and over 80% of wells have been damaged, based on high-resolution satellite imagery. The situation is “notably critical” in Rafah and northern areas, where nearly all cropland is inaccessible.
What’s next
Continued monitoring and aid efforts are crucial to address the immediate food crisis and begin the long process of rebuilding Gaza’s agricultural infrastructure.