Adasiyyah: A Study in Agriculture and Rural Development

This paper comprises of a systematic study of the work of Baha'i farmers, food growers and sharecroppers who, for over half a century (190660), toiled on the lands in Adasiyyah, a village in the north-west of Jordan. The history of this community has been reconstructed from written and oral sources. The author presents the early history of this community from the time that Abdul-Baha purchased the land for it. The earliest settlers were Baha'is of Zoroastrian background who moved there from Yazd in Iran. The author describes the gradual growth of this community, some of the problems that they encountered and the guidance that Abdul-Baha gave them. In particular, the author concentrates on the agricultural development of the community's lands and the innovations that they introduced, some of which were subsequently taken up by other farmers in the area. Some conclusions are drawn about the features of Baha'i development in rural areas as advocated by Abdul-Baha: the importance of agriculture to rural development; fairness and moderation in the landlordtenant relationship; the importance of prayer and consultation in community decision-making and resolution of conflict; and the importance of developing self-sufficiency and self-reliance in rural populations.