2 weeks after Malawi announced that it was sending some of its workers to Israel to work on abandoned farmlands, Kenya followed suit. Kenya disclosed that it has plans to send at least 1500 workers to the war-torn region. Malawi had earlier announced that it was sending around 221 people to the Middle Eastern country, and some of them are already in the country, working.
According to a report by the British news network BBC Africa, the Kenyan workers going to Israel are part of a three-year renewable contract, “with a guaranteed net [monthly] income” of $1,500 (£1,195).”
This rising demand for African laborers is the product of Israel’s declining labor force. The majority of county workers have grown weary of carrying out duties that put them in danger.
Israel’s agricultural sector
Unfortunately, the battle between Israel and Hamas has left the country’s farmlands desolate. Farmers in the region have been forced to quit their enterprises for their safety, since thousands of farmers have shunned such wide fields since the October 7, assaults.
A lot of these farmers were of Palestinian heritage, and their farmer’s licenses were withdrawn as a result. Many others were foreigners who did not want to get drawn into the conflict.
This is because Hamas bombed the region indiscriminately, and individuals of all nationalities were impacted. Some of the aforementioned foreigners are currently held captive by Hamas.
According to the BBC’s report, around 360,000 Israeli reservists have taken up their call of duty. This has created a labor gap of approximately 40,000 workers, which the country is in desperate need of filling.
Future of Africa’s work in Israel
Michael Lotem the Israeli ambassador to Kenya, noted that there still exists the prospect of bringing more African workers to Israel with a focus on East Africa. The ambassador noted that Tanzania and Uganda are regions of interest.
“We are looking to East Africa to fill the labor gap as we have had student internship programs in place for many years with these countries and it has been a good experience,” Mr. Lotem said.
“At least 32 Thai farm workers were killed and several others taken hostage when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October.
Tanzanian student Clemence Felix Mtenga – who was in Israel as an agriculture intern – was also killed in the attack, while another Tanzanian student, Joshua Loitu Mollel, is still missing,” the BBC’s report reads.