Sea turtles have been visiting Libya’s coast for over 3,000 years. But on Misrata’s popular beaches, their nests are at risk from SUV racing, trash and fishing nets. Official conservation programs halted back in 2011 amidst popular unrest and the ensuing civil war. Now volunteers are stepping in to give endangered loggerhead turtles a hand — and raising awareness among their children. The community-driven conservation work is paying off. By keeping this vital marine ecosystem is alive, the grassroots work is helping to ensure the next generation of turtles returns home to breed.
As Libya battles drought and climate change, a young farmer near Tripoli is pioneering aquaponics — a soil-free, water-efficient method that uses fish waste to grow crops. Could this closed-loop system offer a lifeline for the country’s struggling agriculture sector?
n a small green oasis outside Tripoli, 24-year-old Abdallah Elfandi is defying Libya’s harsh climate with an innovative approach to agriculture. His aquaponics farm, HydroHarvest, is a closed-loop system where fish and plants thrive together in water —not soil. As Libya grapples with extreme heat, prolonged droughts, and a failing irrigation infrastructure, Elfandi is proving that sustainable, water-efficient farming is not only possible, but necessary.
Aquaponics: an alternative to traditional farming
Libya’s traditional farmers, like Mohamed Al Zawawi, face a bleak future. Once able to fill four trucks with chard and pomegranates, Al Zawawi now struggles to fill even one. With aging water networks and little government support, he is calling for investment in desalination to keep farming viable. In stark contrast, Elfandi’s aquaponics system recycles water between fish tanks and floating vegetable beds, using nutrients from tilapia waste to feed crops like lettuce, mint, and kale. His farm operates pesticide-free and produces both organic vegetables and fish with minimal resource use — an ideal model for arid regions.
A blueprint for food security amid climate change in Libya
Backed by a €20,000 EU grant, Elfandi is already seeing success and is keen to share his methods. He’s added Azolla, a protein-rich aquatic plant, to his system to curb evaporation and feed his fish. With a growing customer base and a passion for food security, Elfandi sees his work as a blueprint for others. “Change is coming,” he says. Even traditional farmers like Al Zawawi are now exploring hydroponics. In a country where climate change is rewriting the rules of farming, innovation like Elfandi’s isn’t just welcome—it’s essential.
An NGO in war-torn Libya collects plastic waste and sells it to European companies for re-use. The proceeds go to cancer patients who need chemotherapy.
Retired teacher Mustafa Balhaj founded an NGO in Libya that collects, compresses, and sells plastic waste, aiming to address the country’s severe waste management issues. The initiative not only helps the environment but also raises funds to support cancer patients, as Libya’s healthcare system struggles with shortages of medicine and doctors due to ongoing political instability. Young volunteers have joined his campaign, appreciating its constructive approach compared to the turmoil around them. The project generates around $4,000 every three months, funding treatment for dozens of patients at the National Institute of Oncology in Misrata. Balhaj hopes to expand his initiative to major cities, bringing both environmental relief and vital healthcare support to more communities.
