Agriculture

The Lost Art of Jewish Herbalism: How Plants, Memory and Diaspora Kept a Living Tradition Alive

Jewish herbalism is experiencing a revival as educators like Naomi Spector uncover centuries of plant knowledge preserved through the diaspora. Blending the wisdom of Maimonides, Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions, and remedies passed from generation to generation, this forgotten ecological heritage reveals how Jewish communities adapted to new landscapes while keeping their cultural identity rooted in the natural world.

Understanding Food Production: Karl Studer on the Urban-Rural Knowledge Gap

Karl Studer occupies an unusual position in American business. As President of Quanta Services, he oversees electrical infrastructure operations across the United States, Canada, and Australia, managing thousands of employees and multibillion-dollar projects.

Another “Mediterranean Women’s Event” —  and the same political stage for the Union for the Mediterranean

Mediterranean-wide platform for gender equality, resilience, and rural justice. Hosted under the institutional umbrellas of CIHEAM and the Union for the Mediterranean, the agenda appears technocratic and inclusive on paper: welcome remarks, keynote evidence on gender gaps, and a panel discussion on justice pathways in rural and agrifood contexts.

The Christ’s thorn (sidr tree) is also a well-known folk medicine

Christ’s thorn jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) also known as the sidr tree is a real, identifiable tree native to the Middle East, and it appears—directly or indirectly—in Islam, Judaism, and later Christian tradition. The connections between the three faiths are not theological agreements but overlapping uses, names, and symbolic associations rooted in the same landscape.

A Brief History of Basil From India to Italy

Beloved, fortunate, sweet, and royal; an herb with a long and storied history in Asia and across the world. Called by many names, basil has featured in previous Green Prophet articles, so enjoy another serving, a brief history of basil.

Dubai developer uproots ancient Italian olive trees, $270,000 USD each for “eco” project

Flying centuries-old trees across continents via specialized cargo burns enormous fossil fuels. Replanting them in a desert climate—no matter how advanced the irrigation or “heritage preservation techniques”—places immense stress on organisms that evolved for Mediterranean seasons, soils, and rainfall patterns. And we've seen that the UAE is not capable of taking care of trees so survival rates are uncertain.

Sink holes from over-watering farmers’ fields

Sinkholes are rapidly appearing in Turkey’s central Anatolian farming region, particularly around Konya and Karapınar. These giant gaping holes in the ground in areas of farmland, known locally as obruk, are not random geological events. They are linked to prolonged drought, climate-driven heat stress, and heavy groundwater extraction for agriculture in one of the country’s most important breadbaskets.

Mud bricks are not just for Minecraft – they can solve real-world refugee housing

Unconfirmed photos are circulating on the internet that a Gazan family has started to rebuild their home using mud bricks. And just a few days ago we reported on a Saudi Arabian designer and his plans for using mud bricks as a solution to the refugee crisis. 

Green finance in Saudi Arabia, can “Davos in the Desert” change the planet?

As world leaders and billionaires descend on Riyadh for this year’s Future Investment Initiative — better known as “Davos in the Desert” — we wonder where the planet fairs in all this political business talk. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan has turned the kingdom into an unlikely global stage for innovation and investment, drawing over 20 heads of state, 50 ministers, and hundreds of financiers, tech executives, and policy shapers.

EU’s CAP reform continues trend of supporting small farmers in hour of need

Despite mounting political opposition, growing scientific criticism and even the retreat of many former industrial supporters like Nestlé and Danone, certain member-states and supermarket chains continue to prop up Nutri-Score. The Commission must therefore remain vigilant to ensure these attempts do not undermine farmers, distort fair competition or compromise the integrity of the single market – particularly as other pressing threats loom on the horizon.

The hidden chatter beneath our feet – how trees, mushrooms, and microbes speak

Mushrooms, microbes, and machine learning? Why does this matter? The underground networks built by fungi and bacteria are essential for healthy ecosystems—and for our ability to grow resilient crops in a changing climate. Fungi, in particular, act as “middlemen”, connecting roots across distances and helping move nutrients, water, and even chemical signals between plants.

Iran is sinking in sinkholes from overwatering

What's that sinking feeling? In Iran, the very ground under your feet may drop away. The issue here isn’t war. The issue is land subsidence, a...

Ecomondo 2025: Italy’s Green Expo Powers Global Circular Innovation

Each November, a quiet city on Italy’s Adriatic coast becomes the epicenter of the world’s circular economy conversation. What began in 1997 as a local waste management trade show has grown into Ecomondo, a global forum for environmental innovation, resource regeneration, and ecological transition.

Arab agricultural land is on the brink

Across the Arab world, croplands face a perfect storm of stressors. Excessive fertilizers and pesticides erode soil ecology. Poor drainage and over-irrigation drive salinization, leaving fields crusted with salt. Rising temperatures, dwindling groundwater, and more frequent sand-and-dust storms—all amplified by climate change—compound the crisis.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Is Spreading Again — What That Means for Farmers, Food, and All of Us

A new wave of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is spreading through Europe and the Near East, and experts at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are urging countries to take urgent steps to stop it. The recent detection of an unfamiliar strain of the virus in Iraq and Bahrain has raised alarms, especially since this version, known as SAT1, is not normally found in this region.

Hot this week

One of the World’s Biggest Candy Companies Became a Leader in Cocoa Science

Most people know Mars for M&M's and Snickers. Few realize the company has spent four decades researching cocoa flavanols and sustainable cocoa science. After six days testing CocoaVia with pioneers of Toronto's raw food movement, Green Prophet explores the surprising story behind one of the world's most researched cocoa supplements.

Sustainable Manufacturing Frameworks Reducing Waste in Heavy Industry

Hydraulic systems are at the heart of heavy manufacturing, but poor maintenance can lead to fluid leaks, downtime, and unnecessary waste. By focusing on preventive maintenance, fluid monitoring, filtration, and early leak detection, industrial facilities can improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen sustainable manufacturing without major capital investments.

The Lost Art of Jewish Herbalism: How Plants, Memory and Diaspora Kept a Living Tradition Alive

Jewish herbalism is experiencing a revival as educators like Naomi Spector uncover centuries of plant knowledge preserved through the diaspora. Blending the wisdom of Maimonides, Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions, and remedies passed from generation to generation, this forgotten ecological heritage reveals how Jewish communities adapted to new landscapes while keeping their cultural identity rooted in the natural world.

Finding Your Sea Legs Aboard the Neptun of Marstal

The Neptun of Marstal is more than a restored Danish sailing ship. Operated as a non-profit sail-training organization, it invites people of all ages to swap screens for sails, learn traditional seamanship and discover how caring for the sea begins by experiencing it firsthand. Along the way, strangers become crewmates, old maritime skills are kept alive, and the voyage offers a powerful lesson in environmental stewardship, cooperation and the enduring value of learning by doing.

Canada’s Beluga Rescue Is No Free Willy. Those Whales Will Never Go Home.

Six beluga whales have begun leaving Canada's shuttered Marineland, but they aren't returning to the wild. Here's why the park closed and where the whales are going.

Topics

One of the World’s Biggest Candy Companies Became a Leader in Cocoa Science

Most people know Mars for M&M's and Snickers. Few realize the company has spent four decades researching cocoa flavanols and sustainable cocoa science. After six days testing CocoaVia with pioneers of Toronto's raw food movement, Green Prophet explores the surprising story behind one of the world's most researched cocoa supplements.

Sustainable Manufacturing Frameworks Reducing Waste in Heavy Industry

Hydraulic systems are at the heart of heavy manufacturing, but poor maintenance can lead to fluid leaks, downtime, and unnecessary waste. By focusing on preventive maintenance, fluid monitoring, filtration, and early leak detection, industrial facilities can improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen sustainable manufacturing without major capital investments.

The Lost Art of Jewish Herbalism: How Plants, Memory and Diaspora Kept a Living Tradition Alive

Jewish herbalism is experiencing a revival as educators like Naomi Spector uncover centuries of plant knowledge preserved through the diaspora. Blending the wisdom of Maimonides, Ashkenazi and Sephardi traditions, and remedies passed from generation to generation, this forgotten ecological heritage reveals how Jewish communities adapted to new landscapes while keeping their cultural identity rooted in the natural world.

Finding Your Sea Legs Aboard the Neptun of Marstal

The Neptun of Marstal is more than a restored Danish sailing ship. Operated as a non-profit sail-training organization, it invites people of all ages to swap screens for sails, learn traditional seamanship and discover how caring for the sea begins by experiencing it firsthand. Along the way, strangers become crewmates, old maritime skills are kept alive, and the voyage offers a powerful lesson in environmental stewardship, cooperation and the enduring value of learning by doing.

Canada’s Beluga Rescue Is No Free Willy. Those Whales Will Never Go Home.

Six beluga whales have begun leaving Canada's shuttered Marineland, but they aren't returning to the wild. Here's why the park closed and where the whales are going.

What Qualities Help Nurses Thrive in Their Careers?

Decisiveness is also essential. As their first point of contact, nurses are generally best positioned to notice a sudden change in a patient’s condition. When they do, they need to quickly analyze the situation, determine whether escalation or immediate action is required, and execute that confidently.

Different Types of Hair Loss Treatments Explained

efore exploring treatments, it helps to understand why hair falls. Hair loss isn't one condition — it has different causes, and those causes affect which treatments actually work.

Dead Sea Scroll mystery may be solved by a calendar that lost touch with the seasons

The 364-day calendar did not disappear entirely. Instead, it may have survived as an ideal: a memory of perfect time at Creation and perhaps a calendar to be restored in the End of Days.
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