Seven Pillars Ranch
Jordan Farm Project: Sustainable Greening
This project was for a cutting-edge hydroponic farm and ranch in Jordan. It was led by scientists at the Jordanian nonprofit, The Blessed Ones Society (BOS), on a plot of land in the Jordanian Badia close to the Syrian border. The Seven Pillars Ranch (so named to honor our Seven Pillars for Social Entrepreneurship) demonstrated that hydroponics points the way to an inspiring future of sustainable agriculture in one of the world's 10 driest countries.
Discusssions regarding this project were initiated during our visit to Jordan in 2015, after a guest lecture at the University of Jordan in 2015 and an address at the World Affairs Council in Amman, (read more: The Jordan Times, University website), and by 2019 the ranch was functional… and using 90% less water than traditional farming methods.
Using methods that the Seven Pillars Ranch demonstrated, fodder and sheep sales provide dual sources of income. Using some of the barley to feed sheep can provide a partial buffer against market price vagaries while reducing fodder imports. Benefits include higher quality feed and a lower carbon footprint. And such methods increase the country's capacity to sustain livestock during a time of growing water scarcity while providing jobs to local farmers.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, when ranch scientists were unable to travel, crops failed after well-meaning neighbors watered them with high-saline water, and livestock were stolen. Amman was hit with an unseasonable snowstorm and earthquake during the lockdown. And a mere seven months after the pandemic emergency decree was lifted, war broke out on Jordan's border with Israel, sparking regional unrest. The project was successful until the weight of multiple unpredicted geopolitical shocks proved overwhelming. A case study on this project will be included in the 2026 update to Dr. Speeth's book, Intelligence and Compassion in Action: Seven Pillars for Social Entrepreneurs.
