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| Prof. Dr. Ir. Jabal Tarik Ibrahim, M.Si Explains Crisis in the Agricultural Sector Due to the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict (Photo: Laili Humas) |
The prolonged conflict between Israel and Palestine has not only left a bloody trail on the battlefield. However, it also impacted various aspects, including the agricultural sector. For instance, it can be seen in Israel's agriculture. Lately, Israel's agricultural sector relies on harvest yields, with the majority being vegetables and a fifth comprising fruits. However, currently, this sector relies only on volunteer work to sustain itself.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Jabal Tarik Ibrahim, M.Si, a lecturer in Agribusiness at Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM), highlights that the conflict between Israel and Palestine has far-reaching effects. "This conflict not only harms the farmers but also affects the overall food stock availability in Israel," he expressed.
Jabal, as he's known, emphasizes that this war directly impacts the souls of Israeli farmers. These farmers not only experience uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict but also face real threats from rockets, military forces, and even threats to their families. This situation creates an unstable and risky working environment.
"Meanwhile, the indirect impact is seen in the supply of agricultural production resources, particularly fertilizers imported from Ukraine and Italy. Moreover, a portion of Israel's agricultural produce is also exported. Consequently, this impedes the transportation chain, smooth export operations, and overall logistics," he explained.
Furthermore, a drastic increase in production costs becomes a concern for Israeli farmers. Jabal emphasizes that the cost of importing fertilizers has rocketed significantly, especially with the USD reaching nearly 16,000 on October 31st. This creates a substantial financial burden because Israel needs to allocate more local currency to acquire the US dollar.
In fact, Israel currently has a fairly good pattern of maintaining food security and optimizing both domestic and foreign production. This success is supported by the management of food warehouses that are not targeted by Hamas, providing stability to the food supply in the country.
"However, the development of agricultural infrastructure faces hurdles, resulting in decreased production and disruptions in the outbound distribution chain. This situation creates a serious challenge that needs immediate resolution to ensure food security and economic stability in the future.
"If this conflict continues, the worst-case scenario is that Israeli agriculture will face serious long-term challenges. Obstacles in production and export facilities have the potential to cause increased production costs, decreased productivity, and greater economic losses," he concluded. (*lai/wil/fajr)
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