Wadi Attir: Recent developments at sustainable eco-village in the Negev

Recent developments at Project Wadi Attir have brought the project closer to economic sustainability and its role as a model for community education. The Project, which combines traditional Bedouin agricultural practices with cutting-edge technology, has seen signifiicant progress on ecosystem restoration, dairy, herb and cosmetic manufacturing, and construction of the Visitor Training and Education Center.

• Dairy: Wadi Attir formed partnerships with two organic dairies to scale up traditional cheese-making methods and produce authentic Bedouin dairy products in a professional, modern manner.
• Cosmetics: Following a successful market test of Wadi Attir’s all-natural face cream, Wadi Attir is partnering with Faran, all-natural cosmetics manufacturer, to produce its line of cosmetics using Bedouin medicinal plants grown at the site.
• Medicinal Plants: Al Alim, one of Israel’s largest retailers of medicinal herbs, purchased much of Wadi Attir's past harvest and placed a major order for this year’s harvest after their scientific analysis showed superior potency of Wadi Attir’s herbs.

All these developments represent a major step in Wadi Attir’s revenue-building activities, proving the economic sustainability of the project. Progress on the Visitor, Training and Education center has also advanced the project's functionality as a model for sustainable development in the Negev and elsewhere.

Wadi Attir's Visitor, Training and Education Center provides eco-tours to both Bedouin and Jewish students from area schools, and hosts Israeli and international visitors. The first phase of construction, consisting of classrooms and walkways is complete with work continuing on the shading roof, the internal yard and the surrounding landscape. By the middle of next school year, with support from the Social Venture Fund for Jewish-Arab Equality, Wadi Attir will install a lab for high-school students from surrounding schools to engage in science education and research onsite. 

The center is often a host to high profile visitors such as Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and Israel’s Minister of Agriculture Uri Ariel. The project was launched by the Sustainability Labs and is supported by the Hura Municipal Council.

See Wadi Attir's recent newsletter for more about these and additional developments.