Sana Mustafa

Jordanian environmental engineer revolutionizing desert agriculture through solar-powered irrigation

Sana Mustafa (b. 1980) is a trailblazing Jordanian engineer whose solar-powered irrigation systems are transforming agriculture in arid regions. After earning her PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of Jordan in 2005, Mustafa developed the DesertGreen System, a low-cost irrigation technology that uses solar energy to pump brackish water. Her innovations have:

• Increased crop yields by 300% in Jordan's Badia region
• Reduced water waste by 60% compared to traditional methods
• Enabled cultivation of drought-resistant crops like quinoa and millet

Mustafa's 2018 collaboration with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization expanded the system to 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Her work was highlighted in the documentary "Greening the Desert" (2020) and featured in National Geographic's Environment section. She recently launched the SunFarms Initiative to train female farmers in solar agriculture techniques.