A seed bank in the central Gaza Strip is working to restore its collection of indigenous seeds following extensive damage sustained during the recent conflict in the territory. Operating from a modest tent in Deir el-Balah, the Al Qarara Seed Bank is focused on preserving and replenishing heirloom seeds—traditional varieties that can be saved and replanted year after year, distinguishing them from commercial hybrid seeds.

Founded in 2017 with support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the seed bank was nearly destroyed during the war, resulting in the loss of many local seed varieties. Despite repeated displacement, the team managed to reestablish the project in Deir el-Balah using simple means, including plastic containers, hessian sacks, and barrels to store what remains of the seed stock safely.

Heirloom seeds held at the bank include varieties of wheat, barley, leafy greens such as Swiss chard, spinach, and parsley, and vegetables like courgette and okra. Salem Muhanna, who manages the seed bank, emphasized the resilience these seeds provided to local farmers during the conflict, noting that heirloom seeds yield consistent crops over successive seasons, which proved vital for survival amid shortages of agricultural supplies.

The conflict inflicted severe damage on Gaza’s agricultural sector, which, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), accounted for about 10 percent of the territory’s economy before the war. FAO estimates indicate that only around 3 percent of Gaza’s cropland remains accessible and undamaged following the fighting.

Farmers have also faced additional challenges due to Israel’s tight restrictions on the import of goods into Gaza, which have limited access to essential agricultural inputs such as water, fertilizers, and chemicals. Prior to the conflict, Gaza was self-sufficient in fresh vegetable production and exported roughly one-third of its output. Currently, local production meets no more than 10 percent of demand, according to Osama Al-Mukhalalati, an economic security officer with the ICRC.

The Al Qarara Seed Bank operates on a lending model, providing seeds to trusted local farmers who return the seeds after the growing season. For many, including farmer Suleiman Abu Shamas of Deir el-Balah, the seed bank represents a critical safeguard against the ongoing scarcity of agricultural supplies. “With agricultural supplies cut off and prevented from entering through the crossings, the only safeguard we had was to build a food basket based on heirloom seeds that already existed within Gaza,” he said.

For the ICRC and local stakeholders, the seed bank is not only essential to sustaining food production on the remaining arable land but also serves as a repository for Gaza’s agricultural heritage. Al-Mukhalalati described the project as a "ray of hope amid the complete darkness hanging over the agricultural sector," reflecting the broader efforts to rebuild Gaza’s farming infrastructure in the aftermath of the conflict.