Palestinians transform Bethlehem rooftop with innovative hydroponic farming
Residents of Aida refugee camp have been using system to grow food
Rosie Scammell
The National News
Bethlehem
Oct 25, 2021
Excerpt:
On a rooftop in Bethlehem Palestinians are using innovative farming techniques to combat the challenges of life in a cramped refugee camp.
Under an opaque white tent, cucumbers are concealed behind large green leaves stretching to the ceiling. The crop stands beside tall tomato plants, while pots of mint line a low pool and lettuce leaves spring out from rows of pipes.
The hydroponic garden on top of the Lajee Centre in Aida refugee camp, in the occupied West Bank, has been months in the making. The technique does away with soil and instead relies on nutrients flowing through water.
“The only expansion possible is vertical and there is no space at all,” said Shatha Alazzeh, head of the community centre’s environmental unit.
Aida is densely populated, with more than 3,000 people living in only 0.7 square kilometres, the UN says.
Residents live in the looming shadow of a cement wall, covered in graffiti, which Israel asserts is a necessary security measure. The barrier was built largely within West Bank territory and runs between the Aida camp and olive trees.
