Want to learn about organic agriculture and how it’s done in the Middle East? Maybe you’re interested in making cheese from goat’s milk? Or perhaps letting come what may — being the assistant to an eccentric Kibbutznik’s experiment or mindless work on the production line.

A number of Israeli kibbutzes are now privatized, leaving no opportunities for foreign volunteers to come and work. Despite the fact that fewer jobs are on offer, managers at the Kibbutz Program Center in Israel, the national center that coordinates volunteer experiences in Israel, are seeing a surge of volunteers from all over the world this year. There is even a waiting list.

And today it’s not just for the globetrotting hippy: “It’s a great experience for young people, who come to Israel for over half a year,” says Rina Keren, manager of volunteers at the center.

“Of course there are students in the field of agriculture who come; there are also the ones who are specifically looking for the real organic farms too,” she says. Like at Kibbutz Lotan, the only true organic kibbutz in Israel: “But most of the people are not coming for something special – just a unique way to visit and get to know Israel,” says Keren.

With an abundance of kibbutz volunteers from all over the world — the United States, Europe (England and Germany especially), South Africa and Korea, the kibbutz volunteer experience is also an enjoyable international one, Keren points out. Today about 30 kibbutzes in Israel are accepting volunteers and this past year some 500 people submitted applications.

Kibbutz tracks of Bob Dylan and Seinfeld

Bob Dylan did it. So did Jerry Seinfeld who was only 17 when he came to the kibbutz. He told the Associated Press: “I would be in the fields, and nobody wanted my autograph and nobody wanted to take their picture with me,” he said, joking. “They just let me hack away at those banana leaves, and no, I didn’t meet the prime minister even once.”

Like Seinfeld once did, in exchange for several hours work a day, volunteers get free lodging, meals and some pocket money amounting to about $100 a month. But anyone who has ever lived or volunteered on a kibbutz will know, there is really no need for money. The kibbutz is truly a communal space, where services such as laundry and entertainment come as part of the package.

In recent years the kibbutz volunteer experience is seeing a revival, because it’s an authentic way for Jews and non-Jews to experience the Holy Land. It’s also a good way to get to know Israelis firsthand and to learn Hebrew.

The first kibbutzim in Israel were founded decades before Israel became a state. Groups of new immigrants came to settle Israel with an ideal that they would develop and work the land in a communal style.

Kibbutz Lotan is a good starting home

“It’s a great idea that helped make the kibbutz and Israel itself a home away from home,” says Rebecca Fiala who volunteered at Kibbutz Lotan in the south. In a local newspaper she said, “I felt as if I could finally break through the tourist route and meet the people, as well as know that I always have a place to stay.”

Finding a great kibbutz is often a matter of luck. And while the volunteers have come and gone over the years (there are those who do stay and marry Israelis), to further enhance the experience, some kibbutzim organize special trips to further enrich their volunteers’ time in Israel.

Most volunteers, at the end of their trip will usually agree, that the six short months at a kibbutz leaves them wanting more.

For more green volunteering opportunities in Israel see:
WWOOF: Organic Farm opportunities in Israel
Study Abroad at Kibbutz Lotan
Adam and Eve: An Eco-Farm Paradise in Modiin

The post The Kibbutz Movement from Israel Revival appeared first on Green Prophet.

The United Nations launched today a three-year Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control to scale up efforts to curb the growing spread of the invasive pest which is causing serious damage to food production and affecting millions of farmers across the world. 

Fall Armyworm (FAW), a crop pest native to the Americas, has rapidly spread through Africa, and to the Near East and Asia in the past four years.

The Fall Armyworm (FAW) is an insect pest, which causes considerable yield losses in cultivated maize, rice, sorghum, millet, and other crops as it is capable of attacking over 80 species of crops, if not under good management and control.

Based on 2018 estimates, every year up to 17.7 million tonnes of maize (corn) are lost to this pest in Africa alone. This amount of maize could feed tens of millions of people; and represents an economic loss of up to $4.6 billion.

“It  threatens food security of hundreds of millions of people and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers,” said FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu. He made the remarks at the launch of the Global Action on the sidelines of the FAO’s Council, the Organization’s executive body.

In his address, Qu said that the FAO needs $500 million over the next three years to control Fall Armyworm. Solutions like biological control can stop the Fall Armyworm, if applied correctly. To this end, he proposed the establishment of a Global Action Fund – the first ever multi-partner trust fund aimed at addressing the Fall Armyworm threats, – and encouraged countries to contribute to this funding mechanism. 

Countries in the Middle East should consider investing in an insect radar. The idea was proposed more than 20 years and Israel installed its first insect radar in the Hula Valley in 2022.

The initiative also calls for increased partnerships to complement current FAO mechanisms such as Farmer Field Schools and South-South and Triangular Cooperation as well as to create new cooperation channels, Qu noted. In particular, he added, it will feed into FAO’s new data-driven Hand-in-Hand initiative to target interventions where most needed. 

“We must all work together, FAO, international organizations, governments, the private sectors, research centres, academia, and civil society. With the proposed Global Action, FAO commits to putting the knowledge, experience and lessons learned from stakeholders and partners at the service of farmers throughout the world to stem the global threat of this pest,” the FAO Director-General concluded.

The post Fall Armyworm invades Middle East devastating crops appeared first on Green Prophet.

An Israeli made artificial spider web made to protect crops from insect pests will be one of the showcased products at Israel’s Agritech 2012 exhibit. Made from a special weave of micro-fibers, this new netting called SpiderNet is woven to catch insects in the field, much in the same way that real spiders entrap their prey. Developed by the company Meteor Nets, the SpiderNet is designed to create a blanket of protection around crops. It allows air to flow through freely, but the micro-fibres ensnare even the tiniest crop pests like whiteflies or thrips. These pests can be devastating to crops.

Made to withstand storms and high winds, the nets can trap tiny pests that grow and live on crops which can cause extansive damage to flowers and vegetables. They can transfer other diseases and viruses to the plants as well, and this is one of the main concerns.

In Western countries like in Israel, the damage is economic, but in other countries pest infestation can lead to famines. The company believes their spidee nets can save lives.

Meteor Nets say their invention will let farmers use less pesticides and save money and consumer health. Anyway, they argue, pests develop resistance to pesticides and use stronger materials which would impair the health of the farmer, his employees, family members and consumers.

Sounds like a good idea, but the netting is essentially a huge greenhouse-like tent. If farms can afford to use them in small scale operations, then this is probably the right solution. In big open farms that use tilling and machinery, this wouldn’t be a viable solution.

The nets also protect from strong damaging sun rays. Visit Agritech in May to meet the company.

::Meteor Nets

Image of spider web from Shutterstock

The post SpiderNet’s Artificial Spider Web Protects Crops from Tiny Pests appeared first on Green Prophet.

In honor of the last day of Hannukah, the Yesh Meain permaculture farm will be hosting an all-day permaculture celebration.

Links are often found between Jewish holidays and the environment, and environmentally-minded organizations in Israel try to find eco-friendly ways to celebrate them.  We’ve seen these eco Jewish celebrations center around Sukkot, a holiday that is spent outdoors anyway.  But this year we have learned of a permaculture party for Hannukah – a holiday praised by Jewish environmentalists for its lesson on energy efficiency.  The party will take place at the Yesh Meain permaculture farm (the same place that sustainable designer Inbal Weisman frequents in order to collect materials for her upcycled fabric owls) on the last night of Hannukah.

The celebrations will include: swapping/sharing of seeds (and whatever else comes to mind), tours and workshops for children, a general assembly of the members of the Israeli Permaculture Organization, and a communal vegan/vegetarian feast.

Starting at 10am on Wednesday December 28th and continuing until 11:30pm, this day-long event will begin with mingling and workshops.  Intended for kids of all ages, the workshops will include solar oven tutorials, upcycling crafts, instruction on the use of micro organisms for various ecological systems, and more.

The events will be scattered among the different ecologically-constructed structures at Yesh Meain, including their yurt and mud houses.

Started in 2007 by graduates of the Permaculture Design Course at the Center for Creative Ecology on Kibbutz Lotan, Yesh Meain “aims to create a center for environmental and social awareness.  [They] aspire to encourage key changes in the consuming behavior, the use of resources and the perception of abundance within the Israeli society.”

For more information about the Permaculture Hannukah gathering, visit the event’s Facebook page or website.

Read more about eco-Hannukah:
8 Tips For Energy Efficiency “Miracle” This Hannukah [SLIDESHOW]
Miraculously Sustainable and Upcycled Hannukah Menorah Designs
Climate Change and Hanukah – A Connection?

The post Permaculture Hannukah Party at Yesh Meain Ecological Farm appeared first on Green Prophet.

After years of planning, a Bedouin eco-farm in the Negev will finally get under way next week.

For years the Sustainability Laboratories (a New York-based organization) and the mayor of Hura in the Negev, Dr. Muhammad El-Nabari, have been planning an eco-farm for the Bedouin community.  The farm, Project Wadi Attir, would aim to create a community that combines traditional Bedouin values with modern and sustainable farming techniques and energy solutions.  Thanks to the recent commitment of approximately 10 million NIS from the Israeli government, the vision for Project Wadi Attir will soon become a reality and a groundbreaking ceremony will take place this week at the farm’s 45 hectare plot of land.

As described by the Sustainability Laboratories,

“Project Wadi Attir commits to a vision of humanity in which all people live in peace; use the planet’s resources wisely; avoid adverse impacts on other forms of life while actively enriching life’s complex fabric; develop communities which encourage the creative self-realization of individuals as well as society; and celebrate the underlying mystery, unity and sacredness of all existence.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QwH34JffFE[/youtube]

The community-based project hopes to:

• Maximize the use of renewable resources and clean sources of energy, and strive for zero waste
• Operate a self-sufficient, just and productive economy
• Emphasize the respect and well-being of animals and plants and intentionally enhance biodiversity
• Establish a collaborative, equitable and communal undertaking that empowers both individuals and the community as a whole

“We wanted to develop a model for sustainable agriculture in the desert,” said Dr. Michael Ben-Eli of the Sustainability Laboratories, “manifesting the sustainability principles we developed at the lab.  But at the same time, we wanted it to be a model for a process of economic and community development.”

The farm will produce organic meat and dairy products from sheep and goats, as well as grow and preserve indigenous vegetables.  The area will also be equipped with composting sites, biogas, recycling centers, and new approaches to renewable energy production.

: The Sustainability Laboratories
: Jerusalem Post

Read more about the Bedouin community:
Bedouin Women Bring Solar Power To Their Villages
Bedouin Home-Spun Woolen Rugs On Show in Milan
Water & the Bedouin: Sharing the Resources

The post Sustainable Bedouin Farm, Wadi Attir, To Break Ground in the Negev appeared first on Green Prophet.

A sustainable T.R.E.E. grows in Aspen, where children learn about real food.

As a child, Israeli-born Eden Vardy wanted to know where his food came from.  And since he grew up in Aspen, Colorado, his food generally came from a supermarket and was probably transported from far away.  As he grew older and learned more about food, the locavore movement, and the environmental benefits of eating local food, he was dismayed to learn about the absence of eco-minded food instruction in Aspen.  After completing his studies (which included a Green Apprenticeship at Kibbutz Lotan in Israel), Vardy decided to do something to educate kids about real food back in his hometown and started Aspen T.R.E.E.

T.R.E.E. stands for “together regenerating the environment through education” and has many programs that try to achieve that goal.

One of the main goals of T.R.E.E. is to try to resolve the disconnect between modern society and its food sources.  (Or, in other words, explain to people that food doesn’t come from the supermarket.)  But Vardy does not focus on negativity, as he sees this as one of the weaknesses of the environmental movement.  Instead, Vardy and his organization focus on positive solutions.

“We focus on sustainable solutions,” Vardy said.  And if one is creative and artistic in the process, “that will inspire people.”

One of T.R.E.E.’s programs is the Cozy Point Ranch Sustainable Farmyard, which welcomed hundreds of kids this past summer as a summer camp program.  The Farmyard is essentially an outdoor classroom where children can learn about various species of plants and animals, and witness self-sustaining and self-sufficient agricultural ecosystems.

T.R.E.E. is also responsible for a free annual organic community Thanksgiving meal served at the Aspen High School that feeds up to 700 people.

Other programs include custom garden consulting and “nature nannies” – a child care service that introduces children to nature and more wholesome foods.

Vardy hopes that once T.R.E.E. is successful in Aspen, he will be able to export the concept to other communities in the United States.

: Aspen Daily News

Read more about eco-friendly food initiatives::
Interview with Locavore Expert Leda Meredith
Eating Real Food Can Save the Environment
Beirut’s Souk el Tayeb Farmer’s Market Celebrates Healthy Local Food Traditions

Image via: Frank Kovalchek

The post Eden Vardy Plants a Sustainable T.R.E.E. in Aspen appeared first on Green Prophet.

Bigger isn’t always better.  Canaan Fair Trade helps small-scale Palestinian farmers survive and thrive.

With the modernization of agriculture, farming has become an industry instead of a small-scale, community effort.  All over the world, small-scale farmers who have retained traditional (and many times organic) methods of agriculture have been pushed out by larger, industrial farms.  And in cases where small-scale farms have managed to exist, they often have to compete with the cheaper prices of larger farmers and reduce their prices below the point of fair trade.

Canaan Fair Trade has formed a cooperative of around 1700 family farms in Palestine, enabling them to continue their sustainable, small-scale and largely organic farming efforts.

The company is devoted to sustainable agriculture, which it considers to combine both organic farming and fair trade practices.  In Canaan Fair Trade’s own words,

“Only by keeping our environment healthy can we truly have sustainable agriculture.  Yet if we nourish the soil without respecting the human beings who farm it, then we are still compromising our future.  By combining a Fair Trade structure that works on all levels of our community with organic practices, we hope to serve as a model for genuine sustainability.”

While the company focuses on forming a cooperative of local West Bank farmers, it does not, however, attempt to sell its products locally and appeals to an international market instead.  The products (which include olive oil, condiments, nuts, seeds, cereals, spices, and cosmetics) seem to be geared towards an American market and are labeled with USDA organic certification.

But Canaan Fair Trade nevertheless brings a community feel to the global village.  Purchasers of Canaan Fair Trade products can get to know members of the partner cooperatives through the company’s website, where photos and interviews are published.  In the future, olive oil purchasers will be able to type in their package code and learn exactly where their oil came from.

::Canaan Fair Trade website

Read more about sustainable Palestinian farming in the West Bank:
Marda Permaculture Farm Plants Sustainable Seeds in Palestine
EcoBaladi Sprouts Organic Vegetables from the West Bank Valley of Thorns (Wadi Fuqin)
Bustan Qaraaqa: Permaculture and Empowerment for Palestinians in the West Bank

Image via: Whewes

The post Canaan Fair Trade Creates Sustainable Community of Palestinian Farmers appeared first on Green Prophet.

Which is a bigger environmental sin – imported produce or imported farmers?

For the past few days Israeli farmers have been protesting a governmental decision to cut the amount of foreign workers legally permitted to come work in the agricultural sector, with the demonstration planned to continue tomorrow as well. 

The growers have been demonstrating in several junctions across the country, and their most significant act of protest has been to cut off the supply of vegetables, fruits, milk, eggs, fresh fish and poultry to markets and supermarkets all over the country throughout the duration of the three-day strike.  Essentially, the farmers are asking that more imported farmers hands be allowed to work so that they can continue to supply the Israeli public with fresh, local produce.

They are asking the government to reverse a decision that would make it extremely difficult for Israelis to be locavores.

A year and a half ago the government agreed that they would increase the quota of foreign farm hands from 22,000 to 26,000 – a promise that has yet to be kept.  Avshalom Vilan, the Secretary-General of the Israeli Farmers Federation, said that “the government promised us the workers a year and a half ago and never delivered.  Why should we believe them now?”

Fresh, local produce is what’s better for the environment by a long shot.  All the energy and fossil fuels that go into packaging and transporting food from foreign countries is extremely polluting, and totally unnecessary for a country like Israel that is able to grow most of its own produce.

It is a little ironic, though, that the farm hands can’t seem to be local as well.  Most immigrant farm workers come from Thailand, since Israelis apparently lack a desire to work in agriculture.

:: Jerusalem Post

Image via: David Shankbone

Read more about some of the farms supplying local (and organic) goods to Israel::
Rom Farm Brings Organic Goat Cheese to a Table Near You, With Some Help from the Handicapped
Israel’s Organic “Goats with the Wind” Farm is Delicious Eco-Tourism
Tel Aviv Has a Farm, E-I-E-I-O

The post Israeli Farmers Protest Lack of Imported Farm Help by Withholding Local Produce appeared first on Green Prophet.

Marda Permaculture Farm shows that traditional and modern sustainable farming practices can go hand in hand.

Amidst the conflict and destruction that plagues Palestine, the Marda Permaculture Farm stands out as a model of sustainability and greenery.  Founded in 2006 by permaculturist Murad Alkhufash (pictured above) who is a tenth generation farmer, the working farm blends local traditional farming methods with modern permaculture techniques and science.  It also empowers the local community to produce healthy food for itself in a cheaper and more eco-friendly way, by avoiding industrial fertilizers or pesticides.

As the farm describes itself,

“The farm is an oasis of green in a land that is dry, where Palestinians have lived under great hardship, yet where there is a promise of a new future.  We believe that permaculture is a key ingredient in the future, not only for Palestine, but for the Middle East and the world. We’re setting out to show how it’s done.”

Marda Permaculture Farm is a sustainable development NGO that focuses heavily on education and transmitting its beneficial lessons to others.  It held its first Permaculture Design Course (PDC) this past June, which was attended by both Arab and international students.  In order to contextualize the course within the local culture, a traditional Palestinian cooking workshop and an intensive Arab language course were offered in conjunction with the PDC.

Community outreach takes place throughout the year, however, and visitors are welcome to stay at the farm for 1-3 day visits to experience Palestinian farming and permaculture techniques.  The farm is also able to offer certified PDCs in Arabic.

Marda Permaculture Farm is currently looking to expand its ability to instruct the community by building an education building that would include a classroom and accommodation for students.

Some eco-tourism around Marda is also available through the farm, which organizes eco-social hiking tours of the region.

::Marda Permaculture Farm

Read more about permaculture in the Middle East:
Permaculture and Green Communal Living Through Eco-Israel
From Capitalist Pig to Living In A City Tree
Learn Permaculture and Green Building Techniques in Israel

The post Marda Permaculture Farm Plants Sustainable Seeds in Palestine appeared first on Green Prophet.

Eat delicious organic goat cheese and feel good about helping the handicapped at Rom Farm in the Galilee.

Most organic farms have, at the very least, an environmental conscience.  Many of them believe that not only is organic farming more traditional and more delicious, but better for the planet (and therefore very important).  Not all organic farms, however, have a social conscience to boot.  Rom Farm, located in the Galilee region of Israel and not far from Carmiel, has an abundance of good intentions.  A family-operated farm specializing in organic goat cheeses and yogurts, it is also home to a rehabilitative farm where the handicapped can come daily, enjoy a hearty breakfast, and lend a helping hand.

Founded in 1986 by Amit Rom, the farm sits atop one of the highest mountains in the lower Galilee region – Camon Mountain – and sprawls across a whopping 4000 dunams.  Amit, his wife, and their four children now run the farm and the rehabilitative farm, which was a project that stemmed from their desire to contribute to the community.

The rehabilitative farm enables the handicapped to experience occupational rehabilitation in a natural environment and perform a variety of tasks, such as: trimming trees, caring for the farm’s chickens, ducks, and peacocks, herding sheep, tending to the vegetable garden, and working in the farm’s kitchen.

The rehabilitative farm is open daily from 8:30am to 1pm, and those visiting receive a farm-produced breakfast consisting of fresh cheeses and yogurts, olives, eggs, vegetables, and fresh bread contributed by a nearby bakery.

The farm is also home to a “guest tent” where visitors can participate in various team-building workshops.

For more information about Rom Farm visit the farm’s website.

Read more about cheese and the creatures that help produce it::

Israel’s Organic “Goats with the Wind” Farm is Delicious Eco-Tourism

Holiday Recipes, Sukkot Edition: Make Your Own Ricotta

Organic Goat Herding through WOOOF: The Podcast

The post Rom Farm Brings Organic Goat Cheese to a Table Near You, With Some Help from the Handicapped appeared first on Green Prophet.