Our Farms
Cultivating Our Desert
Aspiring to green the Sinai desert, Habiba has created an oasis of community & ecological cultivation. At Habiba, you will eat out of the work of someone you didn’t see and you will plant for the next one that will not see you.
Organic Farm
What’s happening at our farms?
- Restoration & regeneration
- Planting
- Experimentation
- Training
- Volunteering
- Organic produce
Considering the salty, sandy earth of Nuweiba, soil restoration has been an important focus of work at our farms. These days, we’ve developed fertile soil restoration methods to plant from—and restoration & regeneration in other areas is always ongoing. We’ve also opened Habiba Regenerative Farm as an open-air lab.
Planting vegetables, fruit and trees is what we do. Our organic farm extends over 16,000 m2 at the base of the Wadi Watir delta, about 2km from the sea. A huge variety of different species thrive, with crops changing seasonally to supply fresh produce products for the community.
Throughout the years, experimentation has been essential at our farms. From soil to irrigation, non-native plant species and different vegetable varieties, or perma-culture growing techniques, we’ve tried—and still are—trying everything. And we’re getting fascinating results!
Training locals and visiting volunteers is another fruit of our labor! Everything we learn gets passed on in the spirit of knowledge sharing and creating a base for agritourism & edutourism. Ultimately, teaching allows us to enable sustainable economic alternatives in our local community & the South Sinai region.
Of course Habiba Organic Farm grows organic produce throughout the 4 seasons. Our fresh or dried vegetable & fruit products are available to purchase through our Green Box order & delivery system for Nuweiba and the region. Got an appetite? Have a taste of our produce at the Beach Lodge restaurant—or visit the farm!
Planting & harvesting is largely supported by volunteering. People from all over have joined us at Habiba Organic Farm as volunteers over the years. There’s always lots happening for learning, knowledge sharing, testing various growing methods, initiating projects—or just enjoying the fertile surroundings.
We welcome new volunteers to our community all-year-round. Want to join us? Keep reading!
Watch
Regenerative Farm
After great success with the organic farm, Maged started Habiba Regenerative Farm in 2019. This concept was designed to be an open-air lab & learning center for regenerative farming—a space for experimentation and open for pioneering projects & research. In cooperation with local and international research institutes and universities, expert contacts are cultivated in the fields of regenerative agriculture, water & irrigation, environmental ethics & engineering, botany, biology, microbiology and more. We provide a natural lab and landscape for students & experts to carry out projects & experimentation on behalf of their university or organization. Of course we also welcome grassroots & independent projects too. Since its inception, Habiba Regenerative Farm has been involved in 25+ projects—with more to come! Find out more in Our Vision.
Local Impact
Over the years, Habiba Organic Farm, and the newest edition, Habiba Regenerative Farm, have helped enable positive changes in our ever-growing community. Today, 72 farms—47 Bedouin-owned— have cropped up in South Sinai. Local families are becoming more self-sufficient and benefitting from more food security. Through sharing knowledge, farmers have implemented perma-culture growing, irrigation, water & soil management and restoration methods. The possibility of healthier, environmentally sound & sustainable ways of life has been realized. And, its greatly reduced the region’s reliance on traditional tourism.
Have we mentioned community?!
Find out about other Habiba actions & initiatives.
Organic Products
We’ve already mentioned Green Box if you’d like to purchase our fresh, organic produce. Additionally, you can find other products, like powders derived from our trees & plants, as they become available through browsing our Green Box order. Local women’s crafts, some made with organic cotton & dyes, can be found at the WOMAD shop, located at Habiba Beach Lodge.
Awards
Volunteer
Our organic farm is powered primarily, with many thanks, by our volunteer community. You can join us directly or through partner networks such as Ecosystem Restoration Camp, Volunteer World. You’ll be working with our rich & diverse crops, but also learning permaculture & eco-regenerative farming methods and sharing knowledge with fellow experts & enthusiasts. We take care of room & board at Habiba Beach Lodge or at the farm in exchange for a 6-hour work day for 2-4 week stays or longer. See you in Nuweiba!
