Welcome to a non-formal education project for the transition towards sustainability
Our vision
We are a self-managed and dynamic community of volunteers, living and learning together. We don’t strive to be experts of the field, but to be curious and experiment, to learn from and be with each other, the land and beings around us. We offer creative experimentation on sustainability and ecological responsibility through hands-on practical experience. Sunseed is also a learning space for degrowth and decolonisation. Our vision is to be a place of experimental education and community living, away from formal methods, towards co-creative learning and teaching.
Our mission
We practice a low-impact lifestyle with low-tech solutions. We live a very simple, rural and non-luxurious life. We use the sun for energy, the river for water, the gardens and landscape for food and we share cooking and cleaning to make our community a comfortable place. We support each other in taking personal responsibility for our impact on the environment, feeling empowered in the knowledge that changes really can be made. Our work ethic is all about community work, care and solidarity. This includes critical thinking and feedback culture, proactivity and self-organisation.
Our goals
Our goal is to help develop, communicate and disseminate a sustainable and resilient way of life in our environmental conditions, a semi-arid region and the only desert in Europe. We want to keep caring for and regenerating the lands around us. Our goal is to build on a community that keeps changing, that’s curious to learn and to unlearn: Bringing in new ideas all the time, and carrying them out into this world.
Practical
Organic Gardens
Sustainable Living
Ecosystem Restoration
Technical
Appropriate Technology
Eco-maintenance
Office
Education
Communication
Administration
Where we are:
Los Molinos del Río Aguas
An off-grid village in a semi-arid desert
Sunseed is based in an ancient little Andalusian village with a long historical background. The electricity is provided by solar panels and a nearby spring is providing water for daily use. Natural water treatments are used for sewage. With around 50 inhabitants it is a place of different creative projects like Sunseed, Tipi23, The Miraposa, IRORA and Casa de la Realidad.
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Sunseed is a transient international community hosting between 15-30 people. It is the only communitarian project located here. We are off-grid, but not completely self-sufficient. We try to be as sustainable as possible and at times we rely on some local businesses for food and specific materials.
A corridor for wildlife
Unique green oasis
We are located in a valley of the endangered river Aguas in the natural reserve of Karst en Yesos de Sorbas, famous for its gypsum crystal caves. Various scenic hiking trails are located in the valley, including a route to the source of the river passing through the natural swimming pools. The river (that names the place) is the only one in the whole province to flow all year round, it carves a beautiful narrow valley and host unique species of flora and fauna, creating a real oasis in the desert.
Broader picture:
Andalucía, Spain
320 sunny days a year on average
Sunseed is based in Almeria province, 30km away from the beautiful beaches of the natural park of Cabo de Gata. We encourage travelling by land - the closest city is Almeria (60km). From there you can get a bus to Sorbas and enjoy a scenic walk to Sunseed.
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We don’t have shops or bars in our village, but the
nearest town is Sorbas, 7km away. It can be accessed
by walking (1,5 h) or by bicycle (30 min). There are shops,
bars, supermarkets, a post office, a theatre,
a sports complex, a petrol station, a hairdresser, a
hardware shop, and a medical centre.
Sunseed history
Sunseed was first conceived in 1982 during a talk at a green festival by Harry Hart, co-founder of the charity Green Deserts.
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In August 1986, having rented a house in arid south-east Spain, a small joint project called 'Green Deserts' began looking at practical ways of combating desertification. In March 1987 Green Deserts withdrew and Sunseed Desert Technology and The Sunseed Trust were initiated to direct the project.
The project started a volunteering program back in the 90s with people coming from all over Europe. More effort was put into education for visitors and collaboration with other organisations, including universities and schools. Sunseed has gradually evolved into an experiential education centre with people working to support the ongoing tasks of Sunseed whilst simultaneously learning how to live in a low impact way. Today, we have the co-learning residency program focused on non-formal education, experimentation and creative work on restoring our ecosystem and living sustainably.​​
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Mycorrhiza research was carried out at Sunseed between 2004 and 2009. Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of a vascular plant. This eco-technology is an important tool in ecological restoration. The researchers were able to improve the ability of plants to survive in the arid conditions of this very dry region. The mycorrhiza association with plant roots enables plants to gather more nutrients and water. The researchers developed repeatable methods for supporting plants.
If you are curious to find more information, please see the presentation made by Anna Tramarin as part of her internship at Sunseed in 2013.
40 year anniversary!
We are celebrating 40 years of Sunseed Desert Technology in 2026!
The project has changed a lot over the past decades .We are dedicated to fostering innovation and resilience in desert environments. By facilitating workshops, providing resources, and engaging with local stakeholders, we work to create impactful solutions that address the unique challenges of desert agriculture and environmental sustainability. In the fall of 2026 we will have a celebration event at Sunseed and invite everyone who has been part of the project in the past to join our celebrations!
In celebration and to keep the project alive for another 40 years, we have opened a crowdfunding campaign. It will run until the end of 2026 and we hope to collect 40.000€. This is to pay for example for the maintenance of our houses, to keep affording materials and products we desperately need for our daily life, and to keep paying our staff members who take care of the project in our different departments.
