Jordanian Nadia Lawton, a permaculture teacher tells Green Prophet why she believes permaculture could be the region’s silver green bullet. “Permaculture made total common sense to me,” insists Nadia Lawton, “it also fitted with my life ethics a a Muslim.” While the first part of Nadia’s statement may not be considered unique, her remark about […]
Bee colony collapse disorder is a worldwide phenomenon decimating bee colonies worldwide. Bees, you see, are pretty important. Without them much of our food can’t be pollinated. And the true reason why America lost about one third of its bees last year is largely unknown. Some believe it’s because there is lack of pollen as […]
We interview urban designer Wassim Melki who envisions a sustainable future for Beirut’s skyline. Beirut is almost completely bereft of public green spaces. Satellite images show expanses of grey apartment and office blocks and a depressing lack of trees or any other kind of greenery. But architect and urban designer Wassim Melki has a plan […]
Food grows where water flows, so these shortages don't bode well for agriculture. Because of this, many countries in the region are gulping up land in other parts of the world, Africa especially, in order to secure food for decades to come. But a new variety of rice developed in India that requires 60% less water to grow and has nearly double the protein of conventional crops has us cautiously optimistic about our future.
The Great Man Made River: 70 percent of Libya’s fresh water comes from it. Muammar Gaddafi, the eccentric strongman of Libya for more than 42 years and often referred to as the Mad Dog of the Middle East, wound up dying like a dog at the hands of his own people. Now that he is […]
Even though it seems like the earth couldn’t possibly handle 10 billion people, an article published in Nature shows that it is possible to feed them all. Read on for five handy tips. So, all this worrying about the burgeoning population was for nought? We don’t need to be concerned that we are rapidly reaching […]
Agrexco’s image of produce may now be gone forever Israel’s agricultural feats have often hailed as a modern miracle in the water deprived Middle East. This “miracle” pumped up with state-subsidized water is now having to face the realities of global warming and climate change, even though the Israeli public have been supporting strong action […]
At its extreme, it is human life itself that is at risk from water scarcity Can you imagine being this child’s mother? Perhaps she herself is also dying of starvation nearby, too weak to protect her dying child from this vulture that hovers expectantly nearby. Or already dead, perhaps. It may seem inconceivable that something […]
Seferihisar, a city on Turkey’s western Aegean coast, is part of Cittaslow, an international movement founded to promote the Slow Food movement around the world. Agriculture is the economic foundation of Seferihisar. The region is famous around Turkey for its juicy satsumas and mandarin oranges, while olives and vineyards also comprise a significant portion of […]
See how permaculture is spreading across Israel during an international tour at the end of September. Permaculture, or the sustainable use of land and agriculture, has thankfully been spreading across the Middle East in recent years. Permaculture farms have sprouted seeds in Palestine, grassroots permaculture initiatives have popped up in urban settings such as Jerusalem, […]
Investigating the profit-motivated push to make genetically modified food ‘halal’ Back in December 2010, a conference held in Penang, Malaysia with biotechnology experts and halal proponents ended with the conclusion that genetically modified food was halal ( ‘permissible’ for Muslims) as long as the sources from which they originate from are halal. This decision – […]
This really bad picture of former Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Youssef Wali should not blur his egregious crimes. Hosni Mubarak is not the only official to lose tremendous face following the dramatic Egyptian revolution earlier this year. The former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Youssef Wali also became the subject […]
The EU has banned 10% of Egyptian agricultural products after linking that country to the devastating E. coli outbreak that killed 49 people earlier this year. The European Union has linked the May/June E. coli outbreak that killed 49 people to produce grown in Egypt. Following a dedicated probe, officials concluded that a shipment of […]
For farmers in one region in Israel, microclimates can be a headache. Little hills and valleys at differing heights and aspects influence how quickly crops grow and when infestations of pests,weeds and disease are likely to occur.
Nourish your garden or potted plants with compost made in your home. Praxxus55712. The nick of a mysterious Minnesota gardener. We’re given only his first name, Ray. He uploads excellent videos for home gardeners to YouTube, freely sharing his gardening expertise with a gentle, humorous touch. Although I’m all in favor of composting and would […]