Olive, lemon and palm trees provide shade over the small garden where Abu ElHajj recently started growing carrots, tomatoes, beans and herbs.Surrounded by arid cliffs and a harsh desert landscape, it seems an unlikely place to start cultivating food. 'Geoff taught us how to work with nature, not against it'- Abu ElHajj Facing drought and rising temperatures, Jordan is on the frontline of climate change. Overgrazing and inappropriate cultivation practices have contributed to increasing … [Read more...]
Celebrating 10-Years at the Greening the Desert Project, Jordan.
The Greening the Desert Project started with the purchase of land about ten years ago, and it expanded slowly until that mounted into exponential growth. Things started at the top, literally, with a large water tank that feeds a shower/toilet block just downhill. The toilets are dry composting, supplying fertilizer for plants on site, and the greywater from the showers and sinks goes to a nearby reed bed. The reed bed, still high in the landscape, is then able to send gravity-fed irrigation to … [Read more...]
Permaculture in the Islamic World: The Dire Need to Get Involved!
A Dead Sea Valley family home with their typical front ‘lawn’ (Photo © Craig Mackintosh) Looking at the state of the Islamic World these days, it seems like Muslims don’t really care much about the environment. Canals which carry Nile water to irrigate farmlands in Egypt are so full of rubbish they frequently get blocked up, stagnate and spread disease. The once-mighty river Jordan has been so diminished in these dark days it is down to a muddy trickle you could probably jump over if you … [Read more...]
Letters from Jordan – IPC10 and the Permaculture Princess
Princess Basma bint Ali of Jordan opens IPC10 Photographs © Craig Mackintosh The opening of the Tenth International Permaculture Conference (IPC10) already saw Permaculture getting the attention it deserves. Over 100 people from around the world were seated to 'break bread' at the conference's opening gala dinner on the evening of Friday September 16. Aside from permaculturists from every continent, the event also drew (by our own 'subversive' design) people of influence from within … [Read more...]
Greening the Desert
This is just one example of how permaculture can transform the environment, and, in so doing, dramatically change lives. By evidencing the dramatic transformation possible in the world's worst agricultural scenarios, we hope to make people stand up and listen. https://youtu.be/xgF9BU4uYMU Greening the Desert - the original. Duration: 5 minutes Also watch Greening the Desert II: Greening the Middle East Big Agribusiness would convince us that continuing with fossil fuel dependent monocrop … [Read more...]
