Seeds for a Just Peace: A campaign for urgent and sustained action

We are on a critical mission together.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is severe. Mass displacement, pervasive socio-economic challenges, and profound psychological trauma is impacting the Palestinian people intensely and severely, restricting the entry of essential supplies and pushing the population toward famine. This is about survival, of individuals, of a people.

Gaza’s agricultural sector has been devastated. Many farm lands have become inaccessible and directly impacting urban family farmers and women who rely on these lands for their livelihoods and food security. Only 20% of women-led enterprises remain operational, and many have suffered partial or total damage, losing production capacity

We need your support.

Our Mission: Raising solidarity funds that support local efforts in Gaza to consolidate seeds preservation and production for the people.

Photos received by GUPAP and UWAF members recently

The Gaza Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP) continues to strengthen community programs, growing and producing food however they can.

The Seeds for a Just Peace campaign enhances the ability and capacity of the local community-led food production chain. It tells the story of resilience, commitment and determination to build and maintain local food production initiatives.

Wherein urban family farmers can be strengthened for food production, the Seeds for a Just Peace campaign embeds skills and capacity to enhance these and revive community enterprises. This extends to the local food production network, hence local food sovereignty, and hence self-determination and pathways to peace.

“Farming was my passion, but my land was bombed and reduced to rubble.”
Nahla, Urban Women Agripreneurs Forum Member

Please support the Mission now through:

solidarity donations
active participation, advocacy and awareness raising
attendance at events

PLEASE DONATE HERE!

Your donation to the Seed Initiatives have the following direct impacts:

$30

$50

$100

will ensure seed stock is available through local seed initiatives, so that the urban family farmer can purchase 250 grams of seeds for watercress, chard, and spinach.

will enable the urban family farmer to secure 500 grams of seeds for watercress, chard, and spinach, or secure farming tools such as an axe.

will enable the urban family farmer to secure a kilo of local seeds, or secure pumping water to the home garden for an hour using a generator, or secure a 1,000-liter water tank, or secure tanks to store the local seeds.

“After the plants grow, I collect and preserve the seeds. That’s extremely important, especially in the current conditions of war, destruction and hunger. … the lack of water is one of the hardest challenges I face.”
Nahla Atallah, UWAF Member

Local events where you can hear direct stories of food sovereignty, hope and resilience:

Seeds for a Just Peace campaign event in the North

Schoolhouse Studios Coburg, Victoria, Australia | Tuesday 25th November 7-9pm AEDT

Seeds for a Just Peace campaign event in the West

Borderlands Cooperative Footscray, Victoria, Australia | Thursday 27th November 7-9pm AEDT |

“ I grow leafy vegetables such as spinach, arugula, parsley and green mallow. I grow seedlings such as tomatoes, eggplants and green peppers. At the end of each season, I extract the seeds and store them for the next season.” Samah Abu Amra, UWAF Member

Urban family farmers tell us they need Seed Initiatives with associated expertise:

to ensure access to seeds in their home areas or wherever they may be displaced;
regardless of their situation, to plant seeds in the hope of gaining a harvest of fresh greens and other vegetables, to meet urgent demand;
to provide vital nutrition for their families and immediate communities in crisis;
to receive training and materials for maturing, collecting, drying, storing and distributing seeds;
to encourage new urban family farmers to also grow vegetables and produce seed

“There was a severe shortage of seeds in the market and the prices were high. After harvesting I saved portions to extract new seeds. [I] continued extracting seeds from the resulting crops to replant and sustain the cycle.” Serena Abu Amra, UWAF Member

Your solidarity donation is going to these Seed Initiatives:

locally seed stock, available accessibly and sustainably
production of seed at scale for wide distribution to current and new growers
local logistics enabling effective and efficient distribution
importing some essential seed stock from the region to make up short falls
access to regional plant species for local staple nutrition, adapted to local soil and water challenges
promoting plant species for their specific nutritional value
contingencies to ensure the protection of stored seed

“Even if I only have a small quantity, I now consider it my seed bank in case seeds disappear completely from the market. All of this helped me achieve a state of self-sufficiency.” Serena Abu Amra, UWAF Member

About our local partners

GUPAP

GUPAP (a participatory platform for urban agroecology in Gaza) established in 2013, is leading the charge alongside the Urban Women Agripreneurs Forum (UWAF) to rebuild Gaza’s food system.

GUPAP, recognised with the Lush Spring Prize 2021 and the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2023, set up UWAF in 2019 as a crucial independent community space and network for 3,000 women-led Small-Micro Enterprises (SME’s).

In 2021, we, Sustain: The Australian Food Network, Global Gardens of Peace, Just Food Collective and others started supporting the existing community-led, small and micro enterprise organisations for food production in Gaza with our partner GUPAP, and the commitment of the women of UWAF.

UWAF members have contributed to securing fresh and processed food for their families and displaced families for many years. Before 2023, at least 250 women-led Small-Micro Enterprises (SME’s) enhanced their economic resilience and sold 16,000kg of fresh and processed products to 1,425 families.

In these dire times of the most extreme, with mass starvation imposed on the people of Gaza, now more than ever our collective support is absolutely critical. And at scale.

Our friends and colleagues at GUPAP and in UWAF have identified the need to enhance the initiatives for essential support to the network of baladi seed preservation, access and distribution with urban family farmers and small community enterprises developing their capability for sustainable, locally grown food. They have identified Seed Initiatives as the single most important infrastructure at this immediate time of extraordinary challenges, and for the future of food sovereignty.

Our campaign continues with a resurgence and with renewed commitments, now with the specific objective of consolidating local baladi seeds preservation and production and the establishment of the Seeds Initiatives.

“We’re relying solely on the local seed varieties we have, and we distribute them without any profit”
Salama Muhana from the Qarara seed bank

Knowledge & Exchange Centre

Knowledge directly from the urban family farmers involved in planting, storing, and protecting local seeds is in answers to the below queries and prompts. Translation was completed with thanks to coordinators at GUPAP.

Questions and prompts were asked by Australian based organisations in the working group for the solidarity campaign.

We welcome all enquiries as the fruitful exchange of knowledge, to contribute to understanding and opportunities, and an environment of sharing for good. You can do so by emailing [email protected]. Please note, response will be at the discretion of the working group and capacity of our GUPAP colleagues.

Please do not request or offer to contribute physical seed from Australia.

When selecting suitable land for cultivation, women agripreneurs prioritize areas with fertile soil and convenient access to a nearby water source, such as wells or municipal water lines. However, in Gaza, their options are restricted to limited urban agricultural areas due to ongoing occupation and military encroachment on the land.

Access to water is one of the biggest challenges faced by women agripreneurs, and it can be very costly. To overcome this challenge, they often fill tanks and jerrycans with water for irrigation or operate generators if the cultivated area is large.

Suppose agricultural land has been bombed or bulldozed due to occupation, and any suspicious objects are discovered. In that case, women agripreneurs reach out to the Red Cross committee to report the situation. Community agricultural practices take place within designated humanitarian safe spaces. Planting occurs in every small, limited area and even extends beyond tents.

GUPAP and UWAF have collaborated to provide seeds and supply them to women agripreneurs, encouraging them to continue their SMEs. They have supervised and supported the agripreneurs in saving seeds for the coming seasons from the crops available to them.

However, despite these supplies, seeds, and interventions, it is essential to acknowledge that a significant gap remains in meeting the needs of agripreneurs. Women agripreneurs require continuous interventions and access to basic production inputs.

Regarding the preferred form of support, some agripreneurs prefer financial assistance, while others prefer direct provision of inputs. There is diversity in preferences.

Due to the high cost of machine plowing, the women often resort to plowing with animals. They also use axes and other traditional manual tools.

Hope comes from the simple act of planting a seed. Watching something grow, seeing green in the midst of so much hardship, gives us strength. We continue because we dream of providing food and hope for self-sufficiency for our family.

We have learned resilience. Like the cactus, the favourite plant for most, we have discovered that even in the most challenging conditions, we can endure and stay strong. Agriculture and community have taught us that patience and solidarity are essential for survival.

In the current situation, we prefer resilient plants that require little care and offer high nutritional value. Leafy greens like spinach, parsley, chard, and molokhia are our favourites because they grow quickly, need minimal fertilizer, and provide essential nutrients for our family in a short time. Eggplants also have a special place in our hearts. They are produced abundantly throughout these challenging months. Looking ahead, we will also be able to grow radish, cowpeas, beans, lettuce, turnip greens, and tomatoes. These crops would not only diversify our diets but also bring a sense of stability and hope for the future.

We love these plants because they grow quickly, are easy to care for, and give high nutritional value. They make us feel hopeful. Seeing green leaves in such difficult times reminds us that life can continue. Many of them can also grow with greywater, and some can even tolerate salty water, making them even more valuable in our challenging situation.

Leafy greens like parsley, spinach, chard, and molokhia grow quickly and can be harvested in a short time. Eggplants are also reliable, giving food over a longer season.

We urgently need more seeds for leafy greens, as well as seedlings like zucchini and cucumber. Fast-growing crops such as cowpeas and beans are also essential. Beyond that, we need better irrigation systems, access to water, organic fertilizers, simple pest control measures, and basic tools such as soil, pots, seed storage containers, watering cans, and adaptation tools for small-scale farming in displacement areas.

The biggest challenges that women agripreneurs face include, first and foremost, the issue of water, both its limited availability and its high cost. We attempt to address this problem by using tanks to store water. Another challenge is the availability and high cost of seeds due to the closure of crossings and their scarcity. To address this, we rely on local seeds, but we require special containers to preserve and transport them, especially with the ongoing displacement. There is also the challenge of the scarcity and high prices of medicines and fertilizers. Additionally, there is the issue of inadequate coverings to protect plants from withering under the intense sun.

The most impactful support has been the provision of production inputs, including seeds, water tanks, as well as agricultural medicines and fertilizers.

As women agripreneurs, we are committed to this and welcome the opportunity to transfer the next generation of women to follow in our footsteps. We are already doing this by sharing our experiences and communicating online, over the phone, and on the ground to provide technical advice or guidance as much as possible and when needed.

Further information about the campaign, and learning more about GUPAP and UWAF

Key Interventions and Opportunities

Our campaign focuses on critical interventions to strengthen the baladi seed system and food sovereignty.

Reinforcement of the seeds initiatives: Expanding local stock, production, and accessibility of baladi seeds. This includes providing locally available stock, scaling production, and establishing local logistics infrastructure.
Support for existing seed-saving families: Providing financial assistance for harvesting and collection, specialised seed storage containers, and training in germination testing and organic fertiliser production.
Encouraging new entrants: Promoting home gardening, distributing starter packs of baladi seeds, assisting with land preparation, irrigation access, and offering educational workshops.
Expansion of decentralised seed networks: Creating small community-led groups for dispersed seed storage and linking them with agricultural organisations.
Support for local nurseries: Providing essential materials and basic training in seed saving and nursery management, enabling them to play a wider role in seed recovery and education.
Community awareness: Raising public awareness through events, workshops, and campaigns about the ecological, health, and economic benefits of baladi seeds.
Community-led solidarity marketing campaign: Targeting 650 urban family farmers SMEs to reach around 3,500 displaced/food-insecure families.
Knowledge and skills transfer: Within and to support the growth of the GUPAP/UWAF network.
Advocacy: Engaging with you, in Australia, to support GUPAP and UWAF to drive practical community-led solutions. Through this campaign we can promote a broader philosophy towards peace, justice, self-determination, and sovereignty.

Why Baladi Seeds as a Foundation of Resilience?

Local ‘baladi’ seeds are crucial for Gaza’s food system recovery. These open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) are adapted to local climatic and soil conditions, requiring less water and no dependence on imported synthetic inputs like fertilisers or pesticides. Unlike hybrid seeds, baladi seeds can be saved and re-sown year-on-year, freeing farmers from cycles of dependence and lowering production costs. They are a strategic way to enhance the local food system, encourage ecological agriculture, and contribute to food security.

The Challenge: Devastation and Displacement

The only baladi seed initiative in Gaza, located in Al-Qarara, East Khan Younis, was damaged during the war in December 2023. Prior to the assault[k], the Al-Qarara seed initiative supported 130 farming families, but this number has plummeted to just 13 due to destruction, displacement, and water shortages. Many nurseries, vital custodians of plant diversity, have also suffered major damage or shutdown. The displacement has led to many families consuming their saved seeds due to enforced starvation.

Our Approach: Community-led Solutions and Sustainable Support

GUPAP and UWAF have a proven track record of community-led initiatives. The Crowdfunding Solidarity Marketing conducted in previous years (since 2021) with Australian based organisations, Global Gardens of Peace, Sustain: The Australian Food Network and Just Food Collective have raised $60,000 since 2021 and allowed a flexible strategy to avoid conditional funding and quickly raise support for women agripreneurs.The recent 2024 campaign supported 20 high-priority women agripreneurs in northern and southern Gaza with essential agricultural inputs and high-quality seeds from the Local Seed Initiative.

Our campaign continues with a resurgence and with renewed commitments, now with the specific objective of consolidating local seeds preservation and production and the establishment of the Seed Initiative.

Empowering Urban Family Farmers

Seed Preservation Efforts

GUPAP has supported the Al-Qarara Seed Initiative by establishing a designated seed storage facility in Deir Al-Balah and distributing purchased seeds to urban farming families and displaced persons. Grassroots initiatives led by 20 urban family farmers within UWAF’s Plant Production Cluster are actively engaged in seed-saving practices.