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Gaza goes organic
Laila El Haddad
Gazamom Blog
August 10th, 2010

http://www.gazamom.com/2010/08/gaza-goes-organic/

While out doing field research for The Gaza Kitchen yesterday, Maggie and I stumbled upon what we think is Gaza’s only “certified organic” farm. Now before you roll your eyes, keep in mind this is not a departure but a return to very traditional farming practices of pre-1948 days, when life and livelihoods were violently and abruptly disrupted.

With the Nakba, industrialization, modernization, and occupation changed all this. Land for pasture became limited was stolen; semi-nomadic lifestyles reduced; then came new kinds of insects and bugs, followed by the uncontrolled use of pesticides and with unpredictable access to borders for exporting their goods, many farmers began to adopt an all of nothing risk differential, trying to increase output on whatever land they had and sell as much as they could as quickly as they could, to hell with the pesticides and long-term impact on the people and the land.

Abu Yasir was not one of them. Co-founder of the “Safe Agricultural Producers” with Majdi Dabour, who studied organic agricultural engineering in Santa Cruz, California, he insists that his pilot Gaza farm is the wave of the future, and more productive and sustainable in the long-term.

“Here, insects and birds are welcome. We send them personal invitations” joked Abu Yasir.

The project was initially funded by Norwegian People’s Aid, and for a while 60 other farmers were supported and trained in the techniques of natural pest management, which became especially popular after fertilizers and pesticides were difficult to obtain due to the Israeli siege. “But when the funding stopped, so did they.” said Abu Yasir. Many still adopt certain organic practices however, and two of the farmers who were were “converts” remained to work on the pilot project . The farm produces its own compost, has a rain catchment for winter, among other techniques (like lining the farm with basil plants and encouraging bees, both of which naturally repel undesirable insects).

Abu Yasir said they have customers, “but no market, export or otherwise”. They consist mainly of private consumers who either call with an order in a CSA-style arrangement, or come directly to the farm to “pick-their-own”. One woman we met, Sameera Hamdan, is a widower of 8 children and a breast cancer survivor who has had one mastectomy. Her children also recently fell ill with pesticide poisoning. “For this reason we come and buy Abu Yasir’s vegetables” she beamed, hands heavy with 6 kilos of tomatoes.

The prices are roughly the same as conventional produce, explained Abu Yasir “because its cheaper for us to produce it, just more labor-intensive”.

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