What We Do Here?

When visitors arrive at Project Wadi Attir, they experience sustainability in action.
What begins as arid desert land has been transformed into a thriving ecosystem of regenerative agriculture, traditional knowledge, environmental innovation, and community leadership. Every initiative at Wadi Attir is interconnected and guided by the same core values: sustainability, community empowerment, cultural continuity, and responsible stewardship of the desert environment.

At the heart of Bedouin culture lies a rich tradition of natural healing knowledge passed down through generations.
Long before the rise of modern medicine, desert communities relied on the plants surrounding them to treat illness, maintain health, and care for their families. Each plant was gathered at the appropriate season and prepared according to traditions refined over centuries into herbal remedies, infusions, oils, and ointments.

Today, rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles place this knowledge at risk of disappearing. At Project Wadi Attir, the Medicinal Plants Initiative works not only to preserve these traditions, but also to restore their relevance for future generations.

Dozens of desert medicinal plant species are cultivated throughout the farm, each uniquely adapted to harsh arid conditions and valued for its therapeutic properties, including digestive support, anti-inflammatory benefits, skin care, and immune system support. The knowledge surrounding these plants is carefully documented, researched, and passed on through educational and training programs led by experts from within the Bedouin community and beyond.

The initiative is led by renowned Bedouin healer Ali Alhawashla, whose deep intergenerational knowledge has helped cultivate dozens of medicinal plant varieties, many of which are rarely grown in cultivated environments anywhere else in the world. The plants thrive under conditions that closely replicate the natural desert ecosystem, using minimal irrigation, no chemical fertilizers, and careful manual cultivation methods. The result is a unique agricultural model that combines traditional wisdom, sustainable farming, and profound respect for nature.

The initiative also produces a growing line of natural products, including herbal soaps, healing ointments, medicinal teas, and skincare products based on traditional Bedouin knowledge adapted to contemporary standards. In this way, the project preserves cultural heritage while also supporting local economic development rooted in indigenous knowledge and sustainable production.

The culinary experience at Project Wadi Attir is far more than food. It is a story of land, culture, and community. At the center of the farm’s culinary philosophy is a simple principle:
using seasonal, local, and natural ingredients grown directly on the land. Traditional dairy products are handcrafted using time honored techniques that transform fresh milk into yogurt, samneh, jibneh, and artisanal cheeses that reflect the richness and simplicity of desert cuisine.

The culinary experience extends beyond the kitchen into the broader hospitality culture and establishments of the farm. Guests enjoy locally sourced meals, immersive cooking workshops led by leading chefs, and shared dining experiences rich with flavors and stories. Through hands on workshops, visitors are invited to cook, taste, and connect with Bedouin culture through food.

Medicinal herbs and spices cultivated on the farm are naturally dried according to traditional Bedouin methods that maximize each plant’s unique qualities. The herbal infusions and spice blends produced at Wadi Attir are fully organic, free of preservatives and additives, and known for their distinctive flavors and health benefits.

Leading Israeli chefs and restaurateurs come to Wadi Attir in search of inspiration, unique ingredients, and authentic culinary traditions. These collaborations bring the farm’s products into specialty stores and professional kitchens across Israel while strengthening the connection between the local community and the broader culinary world.

The vision is simple: food that honors its origins and invites people to become part of a larger story of sustainability, culture, and identity.

For centuries, shepherding has been deeply woven into the history of the Negev and the Bedouin way of life. Herds provided milk, meat, wool, and leather that sustained communities across the desert.
Today, many livestock herds in Israel remain Bedouin owned, yet modern realities bring new challenges, including land limitations, climate change, and shifting lifestyles.

At Project Wadi Attir, traditional herding practices are supported by professional and sustainable agricultural systems that create a viable economic model for the future. The animals are raised according to high standards of animal welfare, with carefully managed nutrition and veterinary care, while preserving traditional grazing practices adapted to the desert landscape.

Wadi Attir’s boutique Bedouin dairy, the first of its kind in Israel, produces premium dairy products including yogurt, fresh cheeses, and traditional clarified butter known as samneh. Ancient knowledge is combined with modern production standards to create products that are both authentic and high quality. The project also embraces a circular sustainability model in which every resource serves a purpose. Organic waste becomes natural fertilizer, biogas is produced from agricultural byproducts, and wool is used in weaving and traditional handicrafts that preserve cultural craftsmanship. In this way, ancient agricultural traditions are not simply preserved. They are renewed, strengthened, and transformed into a source of environmental, cultural, and economic resilience.

At first glance, the desert may appear empty and barren, but in reality, it is a delicate and highly complex ecological system. Human impact and climate change have accelerated desertification and soil degradation throughout the region, making ecological restoration one of the defining environmental challenges of our time. At Project Wadi Attir, ecological restoration stands at the center of the farm’s long-term vision.

Under the leadership of Dr. Stephan Leu of Ben Gurion University of the Negev, the project has developed an integrated restoration model that strengthens and rehabilitates the land using natural biological methods, including composting, organic fertilization, and cover crops that enrich soil health and improve resilience. A system of water channels and reservoirs was designed to collect and retain rainwater, increasing water availability during dry seasons.

Alongside soil restoration efforts, the project actively works to restore biodiversity throughout the landscape. Native trees, wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses are replanted, while ecological buffer zones support the return of wildlife including mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds.

This restoration work is not viewed merely as an environmental initiative. It is part of a broader sustainability vision in which healthy ecosystems, productive agriculture, and thriving communities support one another. Project Wadi Attir has been recognized by the United Nations as one of the world’s three leading initiatives addressing desertification.

At the center of everything happening at Project Wadi Attir is the community itself.
The local community is not simply a beneficiary of the project. It is a full partner in its creation, leadership, and growth.
Wadi Attir has developed an extraordinary model rooted in cooperation, equality, and local empowerment.

One of the project’s most significant achievements has been strengthening collaboration between different Bedouin tribes and villages through shared initiatives, dialogue, and collective vision building.

Women’s leadership plays a particularly important role within the project. More than 70% of Wadi Attir’s staff are women, many serving in senior operational, educational, and managerial roles. For many participants, this represents a first opportunity to engage in meaningful professional, economic, and public leadership while remaining deeply connected to their cultural heritage and community life.

The community model developed at Wadi Attir demonstrates that sustainability is not only an environmental framework. It is also a social way of life capable of building resilience, dignity, pride, and shared purpose.

At Wadi Attir, technology is viewed not as a force separate from nature, but as a vital partner in supporting it.
In an environment where resources are limited and ecological balance is fragile, the project has developed an integrated eco-friendly infrastructure that combines environmental responsibility with advanced innovation to create cleaner and more efficient agricultural systems.

Led by Dr. Michael Ben Eli in collaboration with researchers from Ben Gurion University and private sector partners, Wadi Attir has established an interconnected sustainability system designed around circular resource use.

Atmospheric Water Generation: An innovative system developed by the H2OLL company produces up to 1,000 liters of clean water per day directly from the air.

Biogas Production: Organic waste is converted into renewable energy through biogas systems that produce fuel for cooking and heating.

Smart Irrigation: Advanced irrigation technologies supported by intelligent monitoring systems maximize the efficient use of every drop of water, an essential capability in desert conditions.

Wastewater Treatment: Natural water purification systems allow treated water to be reused for irrigation while protecting environmental health.

Composting: Organic material generated from agriculture, livestock, and food preparation is returned to the soil as rich natural fertilizer.

By maximizing the value of every resource, Project Wadi Attir significantly reduces its ecological footprint while serving as an international model for environmental innovation in arid environments.

The desert is a delicate ecosystem in which every living organism plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. Project Wadi Attir has made biodiversity restoration one of its central missions, transforming the desert into a thriving living environment once again.
Through soil restoration, vegetation renewal, and the rehabilitation of natural water systems, the farm has created conditions that allow native species to return and flourish. Rare wild plants, desert shrubs, grasses, and trees are gradually restoring the colors, scents, and seasonal abundance that once characterized the region.

As the ecosystem recovers, wildlife is returning as well. Insects, reptiles, small mammals, and more than 55 bird species observed to date now inhabit or migrate through the area. This renewal demonstrates nature’s remarkable ability to recover when given the right conditions.

At Wadi Attir, biodiversity is nurtured as part of a holistic vision in which people and nature coexist through partnership, balance, and mutual responsibility.

Project Wadi Attir is not only a farm. First and foremost, it is a center of learning and education.
The project promotes an educational philosophy that connects people, land, community, and environment while equipping future generations with the tools to preserve cultural heritage and build resilient, sustainable futures.

The Wadi Attir Visitors Center serves as a regional educational hub that welcomes students from elementary and high schools across the Negev. Through immersive tours, practical workshops, and enrichment programs, children and young adults are introduced to sustainable agriculture, desert farming techniques, green technologies, and the cultural story of the Bedouin community. The site also hosts workshops for adults and a young leadership preparatory program in partnership with the Desert Stars youth organization.

Ecotourism initiatives bring visitors from Israel and around the world into direct contact with sustainability values and Bedouin culture as expressed through the project’s many initiatives. Personal encounters with community members create powerful and memorable experiences that transform learning into something deeply human and emotionally meaningful.

In the past, nearly every Bedouin household maintained a small vegetable garden. These gardens nourished families while preserving generations of agricultural knowledge adapted to desert conditions marked by scarce water, intense heat, and dry winds.
As industrial agriculture and urbanization expanded, many of these gardens disappeared along with the traditional knowledge connected to them.

At Project Wadi Attir, the Traditional Vegetables Initiative is helping revive this heritage. Traditional desert vegetables are cultivated using methods refined over generations through experimentation, adaptation, and intimate knowledge of the desert environment. Alongside the cultivation itself, ancient agricultural techniques are carefully documented and preserved, including soil preparation, controlled irrigation, mulching, and natural protection against harsh weather and pests.

The initiative also operates a unique training program led by women from the local community that supports the creation of family vegetable gardens in nearby villages. Through this work, the connection between families, land, healthy food, and traditional knowledge is being rebuilt for future generations.

In Bedouin culture, hospitality is a deeply held value that creates connection between people, cultures, and communities. Project Wadi Attir continues this tradition in the twenty first century by serving as an open and welcoming destination for visitors from Israel and around the world.
Approximately 2,000 visitors arrive at the farm each month, including students, professional delegations, environmental organizations, government representatives, researchers, entrepreneurs, and international tourists. Some visitors come to learn about sustainability, desert innovation, and regenerative agriculture. Others arrive seeking a deeper understanding of Bedouin culture and community life.

At the center of every visit is the human encounter itself: warm hospitality in the traditional Bedouin tent, guided tours through the farm’s initiatives, tastings of local products, and direct engagement with the community members who lead the project. The site also hosts workshops, cultural events, holiday activities, and family programming throughout the year. Visitors are welcome during operating hours without advance reservation, while larger groups are encouraged to coordinate in advance.

A visit to Project Wadi Attir is far more than a tour. It is an inspiring experience that demonstrates how vision, community, and sustainability can come together to create new possibilities in the desert.