Description of Challenge
Creating vibrant and resilient organic vegetable gardens in arid climates. Using no pesticides, herbicides or industrial fertilizers. Using brackish water efficiently. Making high organic matter soil where none exists."An organic farmer is the best peace maker today" Vandana Shiva https://youtu.be/5Ceze66_ejI
Solution
The Southern Arava desert, between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea gulf port cities of Aqaba, Jordan and Eilat, Israel, has on average 15 mm of rain per year. Well water has salt (Sodium) concentration of 600 to 2000 mg/L (WHO/EU drinking water upper limit of Na+ 200 mg/L). Land is either hard packed, rocky alluvium or pure sand. Industrial monoculture growing of a limited variety of vegetables in the region uses drip irrigation and high inputs of liquid industrial fertilizers.
The Center for Creative Ecology has been successful with growing a wide variety of inter-cropped vegetables, herbs and fruit trees by creating nutrient rich soil from composting municipal and animal waste. Transplanted seedlings or seeds are planted along water limiting drip irrigation pipes atop rows of composted organic matter which is covered with thick layers of mulch from shredded tree branches. Yields increase yearly as the soil comes to life. New varieties of vegetables are introduced yearly.
