Djanan English

In the following years, Madjid contacted a number of exceptional scientists: Prof. Bernd Senf, then by the FHW Berlin, led him into a circle of people who already operated the desert greening technology. The work was based on the theories and technologies of Victor Schauberger and Wilhelm Reich. They teamed up with Daniel Plocher of Penergetics. In the winter of 1996/97 Madjid undertook with Bernd Senf a first two-week expedition to the Tassili n `Adjjer in the Sahara, to explore the possibilities of a separate project. Madjid had been able to open some doors in the former Algerian government, and the joint projects took shape. Bernd Senf, DeMeo and Madjid then had already written a memorandum on desert vegetation. For August 1999, a second expedition was planned - this time next to Bernd Senf also James DeMeo should be participating  - an American scientist who had worked with Wilhelm Reich's technology on major droughts in Namibia 1992/93 and Eritrea in 1994 that he  successfully put an end .

But the unrest in Algeria flared up again and James DeMeo cancelled his trip. Despite the political upheavals in Algeria, the support of the government broke off, Madjid brought on himself alone a few small projects in progress - with the knowledge and technology Plocher, including the revitalization of waters in northern Algeria. He built the first "esoteric treatment plant" - as they named the child at that time - for 20,000 inhabitants in Zeralda in Algiers. It works perfectly to this day without electricity or energy intake. This enabled the locals to again bathe without risk of infection. But the dream of his own landscaping project had to be buried for the time being, given the disastrous political situation.

In 2003 Algeria was hit by an extreme drought, as a few other mediterranean countries. The Algerian government considered importing water by tanker. "You cannot just sit idle," said Madjid's wife. But there was no support from the Algerian government, no money, no mission. "But you still cannot sit idle," she said. There was no legal basis. The civil war was in the last breath and to travel with a device over land that looks like an anti-aircraft gun would have been perhaps a stylish way to commit suicide. "But you cannot just ...". she swept Madjid doubt off the table: "Even if the operation is successful only 1%  already a lot will be achieved."

It was madness. But it was doable.t was the desert that had given a second life to Madjid Abdellaziz, now he had to return to it. The family bought land in 2004 in a remote area near the formation Djebel Amour, close to the birthplace of his wife, surrounded by cliffs, accessible only by two cuts in the rock canyons. The area was easy to control and could hardly been seen  from the outside.The land was owned by the government and was administered by local government in El Haouita, and traditionally used for grazing by the local nomads with their goats and sheep.

Madjid built a Cloud Buster, and some other things that he had learned in Berlin. The weather operation succeeded. After only two and a half hours, were the first clouds, after five hours the sky was black and lightning crossed. Half an hour later it was raining.

It was followed by another operation in Djanan. Within a radius of 100 km, the climate returned to normal - it rained so much that the reservoirs were filled to burst soon. It was the end of the Algerian drought. And the beginning of something greater.

Madjid remained in Djanan. With the help of his sister-in-law Fatima and her husband Belami they planted olives, apples, rows of kasuarina trees to stop the wind. He sowed grain, planted potatoes and lettuce. The precipitation remained high - thanks to two clouds stabilizers, (picture) which he had installed in the Wadi. It rained so much and so violently that the low areas are partly transformed into lakes, the waters washed away the freshly placed potatoes.

In the first years there were repeated clashes with the nomads, who led their flocks over the newly created fields. Long and tough negotiations were needed with the tribal elders to get them to support the experiment in Djanan.

Djanan - as Madjid has dubbed his Garden of Eden - is now in it’s seventh year. The climate in the region has been stable since the first operation 2004. It rains enough, the reservoirs are filled, the water table has increased by 30 meters. The price of desert truffles has dropped from 80 to 8 € per kilo. The people thank Allah in the region - and that's a good thing. Madjid may work in peace.

So far Djanan was a private project. 2011 a new cycle should start and the project is now open. Show the world what is possible - and teach interested people how to do it.

For this a second building was built on site that will serve as a barn for equipment as well as a first place for guests. The outer walls are up, roof and interior are commissioned. This will be the last conventional buildings on the site. During the year 2011, new apartments will be added using the “dust-bag”-method. A first step towards even a holistic answer to the question of how we will live in future. Sustainability, simplicity, naturalness and efficiency at all levels.

Djanan gets a hectare of vinyard. Growing vegetables has been scaled down in favour of planting new trees.They are easier to maintain and support the goal of a stable microclimate better than agriculture.

Read mor about climate refugees