Near East Foundation

People We Serve

Shakir

Shakir, a Jordanian residing in El-Shouneh, is a farmer and the President of Zahrat Al-Aghoar Cooperative. Throughout his life Shakir has volunteered with the National Civil Defense and participated in the Jordanian civil service. Although he has held multiple positions, Shakir’s main source of income is farming. Like most residents of El-Shouneh, Shakir’s family of twelve is completely dependent on the fluctuating vegetable market and risky farming business.

Twenty years ago Shakir used the inefficient and unsustainable open field farming techniques common to El-Shouneh. Practices such as flood irrigation and the use of unfiltered water lead to longer harvest time and yield inferior crops. After seeing a fellow farmer’s use of greenhouses, Shakir borrowed money from friends and local families to begin his own project. He is now the proud owner of sixty-two greenhouses. The decision to switch from traditional farming pulled his family out of poverty and inspired him to teach other farmers about his success.

The cooperative in El Shouneh, one of Jordan’s sixteen poverty pockets, aims to create a sustainable and replicable greenhouse model of farming in this agriculture-dependent region. Shakir’s work with NEF has helped to expand the Zahrat Al-Aghoar Cooperative to seventy-five members. In addition to teaching others about more effective farming methods, the cooperative spends approximately thirty percent of its revenue on developing the surrounding community.

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