Defending the rights and livelihoods of Palestinian agricultural workers and farmers

Agricultural workers and farmers in Palestine continue to face grave violations of their rights, livelihoods and fundamental freedoms. Across Gaza and the West Bank, agricultural land and infrastructure are being destroyed, homes and workplaces demolished, access to land restricted, and workers and farmers subjected to violence, intimidation and displacement.

In the Gaza Strip, more than 80% of agricultural land has been damaged or destroyed, with damage and loss to the agricultural sector estimated at over USD 2 billion. In the West, Bank the confiscation of agricultural land continues to expand, while olive trees are being vandalized and livestock stolen.

The destruction of agricultural land and infrastructure, including greenhouses, irrigation systems and food production facilities, is devastating the sector and the livelihoods of the workers and communities who depend on it. Farmers and workers are being prevented from accessing their land and workplaces. Restrictions on access to food are further undermining food security and the right to food. The consequences extend far beyond the loss of crops and productive assets, driving poverty and hunger and undermining rural communities.

The IUF condemns the continued violations of the rights of Palestinian workers and farmers and the loss of their livelihoods. International law and human rights must be respected and upheld. There can be no just and lasting peace without respect for human dignity and fundamental rights.

The IUF Agricultural Workers' Trade Group Conference, meeting in Geneva on 21-22 September 2026, affirmed IUF affiliates' solidarity with Palestinian workers, farmers and their unions. The conference adopted a resolution strongly condemning the violence, intimidation, displacement and destruction suffered by Palestinian workers and farmers, and calling on IUF affiliates to take practical actions to provide support during the harvest season and beyond.

"Agriculture is not only an economic sector. It is our identity, our history, our culture, and our connection to our land," said Aisheh Hoummda, International Relations Officer for the Union of Agricultural and Food Industries Workers in Palestine. "The struggle of Palestinian farmers is not only about protecting crops. It is about protecting human dignity, food sovereignty, decent work, and the right of people to remain on their land."