ActionAid Empowers Youth to Support Farmers' Resilience in Gaza

Gaza Strip – Diaa’ Abu Assar, a dedicated young man from Gaza, is channeling his energy and passion into supporting his community amid crisis. Through youth hubs supported by ActionAid Palestine and its local partner, the MAAN Development Center, Dia’ plays an active role in empowering young leaders to respond to urgent needs—especially in the agricultural sector—during the ongoing emergency in Gaza.

Despite the hardships of life under illegal 18-year air, land, and sea blockade and repeated wars, including the ongoing devastating war on Gaza since October 2023, Diaa’ remains committed to helping Palestinian farmers. This war has severely impacted youth as Diaa’.

Diaa’ explains the reality of youth in Gaza: “when we look at the reality of youth today, we realize that they were not initially part of decision-making — and now, decisions are no longer made by just one or two individuals. Dreams and ambitions, whether small or large, have faded away, and the sense of responsibility among youth has declined. As a result, many young people are now thinking about migration because they have simply lost their dreams. The very least we can do is help them dream again, so they can once more contribute to their country and community”. 

Yet Diaa’ remains hopeful and stresses the important role of youth h in strengthening the resilience of their community. Diaa’ said: “Youth make up 47% of the population in the Gaza Strip, which means they have a significant potential to influence and drive change. Given their large numbers, the interventions they can lead are substantial and impactful. An equally important factor is their ability to understand problems, work toward solving them, and act as a vital link between communities and decision-makers. In fact, the youth’s capacity to influence policymaking is, in itself, a clear indication of their ability to actively and effectively engage in addressing key issues”. 

Farmers in Gaza, among the most affected by the war, face immense challenges. According to a new geospatial assessment from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), the joint assessment found that more than 80 percent of Gaza’s total cropland has been damaged, while 77.8 percent of that land is now inaccessible to farmers.

 Diaa’ highlighted the suffering of farmers and destruction of agriculture sector in Gaza: “the farmers in Gaza are directly being targeted by Israeli bulldozers that target agricultural lands. The agricultural infrastructure war was destroyed. The blockade has prevented the entry of materials and equipment, forcing farmers to use dangerous and unsafe tools. Many shelters have been built on agricultural lands due to the lack of sufficient geographical space. The water lines were disrupted and there was contamination of a portion of the water supply. The interruption of electrical energy sources required for agricultural production. The rate of institutional agricultural interventions in Gaza is low. There are interventions from ActionAid and other major institutions, but the needs are immense.

To address these issues, Diaa’ and his team worked on establishing and provision of solar panels — in other words, providing a solar energy source. Our intervention was an opportunity to save the agricultural sector. For this reason, the team worked carefully to identify the problem in order to benefit as many farmers or cover as much area as possible. This meant supporting several areas, reducing the burden on farmers, and enabling them to purchase water at lower prices.  It also increased agricultural production capacity, in addition to providing water to displacement shelters, expanding the number of beneficiary farmers, and ensuring a supply of vegetables despite the blockade and the closure of crossings.

Daia’ stresses the urgency of supporting the agricultural sector: “the agricultural sector is the primary source of income for families in the Gaza Strip and serves as a vital economic lifeline for communities and the local market. As the war and blockade continue, the need to secure food from within Gaza has become more urgent than ever. It is vital for all stakeholders to support and enable agricultural interventions, allowing the sector to sustain itself and build resilience. By doing so, we can help alleviate the suffering of the people, reduce the threat of famine, and foster long‑term food security across the Gaza Strip.”

Diaa’ advocates for greater youth involvement: “the youth in Gaza firmly believe in the potential and energy they hold and recognize the importance of harnessing this strength to enhance the quality and effectiveness of interventions in the agricultural sector. They seek to play an active role in shaping decisions within this vital sector, ensuring that young people have a voice and contribute meaningfully to their growth and resilience.

Through the youth hub, Diaa’ has enhanced her skills in emergency response, participatory assessments, and project implementation. These hubs not only promote youth development but also encourage innovative, volunteer-driven solutions to environmental and agricultural challenges.

By equipping young people with training in leadership, advocacy, and project management, the hub fosters creativity, resilience, and a sense of purpose—empowering a new generation to lead change and support climate and food security efforts in Gaza.

About ActionAid International

ActionAid International is a global federation working with over 41 million people across more than 72 of the world’s poorest countries. We strive for a just and sustainable world where every individual enjoys the right to a dignified life and freedom, a world free from poverty and oppression. We work towards social justice, gender equality, and poverty eradication.

ActionAid Palestine began operations in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people, believing in their right to freedom, justice, and self-determination. ActionAid Palestine implements several programs engaging Palestinian communities, youth groups, and women, aiming to empower women and youth and enhance their active civic and political participation to understand their rights and engage collectively in addressing rights violations resulting from prolonged occupation. It also seeks to improve their leadership capacities and citizenship practice by holding authorities and other responsible parties accountable.

For more information, please contact:
Riham Jafari
Communications and Advocacy Officer, ActionAid Palestine
Email: Riham.Jafari@actionaid.org