Farming With Salty Water Is Possible

One of the many adverse effects of global climate change is the rise of sea levels, which scientists say can increase the salinity level of fresh water reserves. As saline water cannot be used for irrigation, farm fields close to the seashore are lost to agriculture. But a farm in Netherlands has managed to grow healthy and tasty vegetables in soil irrigated with salt water. VOA’s George Putic reports.
Originally published at - www.voanews.com...

[@charlessmyth]

For those who fail to appreciate a key point: Over a number of crop cycles, the salt concentrations will be reduced, by the crops that take up the salts. The carrots, for example. The water is being deliberately and selectively salinated, to provide a scientific base, from which to make observations and recommendations.

[@ryanb1874]

So it's not just ocean water, now more industry is needed to salinate it?

[@stannumshiva]

After few years they will end up with desertification of the land😢

[@wijn1008]

@@stannumshiva those lands are marshes and are regularly flooded. Look up "waddengebied". The testing area is Texel, it's a dutch Island which is basically a big sandbank.

[@faab99]

Isn't it a problem that the salt level of the land increases to a level that the land becomes unusable? This has been a problem in south of Iran where the water from Karun river has some salt and after a few decades, most of the farm land has been damaged beyond repair.

[@bvbxiong5791]

yes of course that is the problem that is not addressed. this experiment did a simple test over a very short time span. BUT, if you continuously salinate the soil for a few generations, the salt levels will become intolerable and the land will die. they conveniently neglected to inform the public of that consequence.

[@faab99]

Thanks, that is exactly what I was afraid off, this is short term solution with disastrous consequences to follow. Salt does not disappear, it builds up unless they have found a way for the plants to absorb the salt, the land becomes unusable after a few years.

[@lilaclizard4504]

typical humans

[@antonyholland]

I don't think you understand what they're doing here. They are salinating the soil in Holland to find out what crops grow well in salinated soil. When they find out what crops grow well under salty conditions they use them to plant them in salinated soil, they don't water them with salinated water in Pakistan, but the soil there is so salinated that the crops have to do well under these circumstances.

[@martiansrocks4700]

In Pakistan specially in cholistan desert salt problem is created by poor agronomic practices not like other areas.once plantation starts with in two years 75 percent land can be reclaim.

[@jossurbab]

I am glad that VOA is spreading this important step to see ahead in to the future.

[@bartenniek]

Salt will build up in soil when the yearly evaporation is higher than the yearly rainfall + irrigation(more salty than rain water). When you add salts to the soil by for instance fertilizing or adding irrigation water, you need more water to clean the soil. In the Netherlands there is a rainfall surplus, so the added salt will finally get into the groundwater and will end up in the ocean.

[@MultiSoftE]

Not true, feeding microbes that feed the plants, it’s why potatoes work so well

[@rachaelkwofie8418]

Thanks for trying to find a solution to the world's problem. Keep up with the good work, I believe there's a way to save those who are affected by these harsh conditions . God bless you. Keep trying new methods until the ultimate goal has been achieved, many lives will be saved . Thank you and God bless you.

[@marianagodinezsansores1014]

they could use hydroponic crops to try this instead of putting salt into farming soil

[@Dengezik100]

There is planty of salty soils around the world. And it is sure: Irrigation with salt water has fatal consequences to soil fertility. To manage this problem (rising salinity levels in subsoil water) we should prevent to get salt into the soil from subsoil water (by drainage for example).

[@annroberts4593]

What about with well water that has been damaged from oil wells dumping their by product in the ground for a lot of years. Our well water is extremely high in sodium. So it kills anything we need to water with it

[@gurlalsingh3320]

Please provide video, about the instrument which checks salinity of land water, and how we can get fresh water for irrigation

[@awanvlogs2478]

Hi did you find a way to get fresh water in an area of saline underground water?

[@timmothyburke]

For how many years before you totally ruin the soil?

[@דניאלהאיש]

you can grow other plants to reduce the salt in the land such as antreixes

[@quadrim.a.2816]

Less than 5 ppt there is no problem in cultivation but its difficult in more than five ppt salinity . Salinity may be brought dawn by use of Gypsum year after year till salinity is comes dawn . Other steps may be control of pollutants and flushing more and more fresh water and use of other aqatic plants besides Reeds and floating plants .

[@anilkumarn6091]

Coconut tree will grow very easily with sea water.

[@lephilosopheinconnu3952]

What makes you think that?

[@henryyu4987]

This study is very important to fight hunger.

[@junglesbongles8592]

already salted potato chips

[@aboodhamoodah8145]

Nice one 😂😂

[@redskywalker193]

and the obvious conclusion is that some crops like potatoes are more salt-tolerants untill a certain level of salinity, beyond this level nothing can be grown. It's a pity that a non-salt-saturated soil is getting artificially salinized for that experiment. The big challenge is how to lower salt level in soils.

[@ShantharamShenai]

redskywalker193 The big challenge is how to lower salt level in soils.

[@jo-han]

the solution is simple. don't pump up (brackish) ground water so that sea water underground pushes in on the ground water and start oversupplying desalinated water from the top to wash the salts deeper. Its a feasible solution but you need enough energy (which we don't have a shortage of in energy from the sun) to desalinate seawater and pump it inwards.

[@lilaclizard4504]

ah is that how ground water becomes brackish jo? never knew or really thought about it, but that makes sense! & I was wondering/thinking that too redskywalker! Has to be long term damage if you keep adding more & more salt water to areas with high evaporation rates!

[@jo-han]

@lilac lizard Yes in coastal area's where us humans pump up more drinking / irrigation water from the ground than nature can resupply with rain / riverfloods, seawater below grounds (below the seabeds) will slowly start flowing inlands and salinate the groundwater below land. The irony is because we dike up our rivers preventing floods will cause more salt water to flow directly to sea through the river instead of pushing back through the ground. We need to limit the amount of water we take from coastal grounds and the limit should be less then the amount of rain on the lands. Yearly variations are not an issue, we can work with decade average and take the yearly part of that. That does not mean we should limit the amount of water we use, we should have unlimited supply of water to people / agriculture but instead should pump up ground water from below the seabed and desalinate that using solar/wind power. Then we can balance it out again.

[@louf7178]

jo han I'm in tune with these opinions as of this far. I've also wondered how much more the areas that get salted from roads can take (and the news stations go crazy; "Why weren't the salt trucks out faster?"). Cinders? -The drainage systems get filled. There really aren't perfect solutions as far as I know. A typical saying in the filtration world is: the solution to pollution is dilution.

[@faab99]

I wonder if it is possible to grow plants hydroponically so we do not damage the land?

[@lilaclizard4504]

good thinking, but I'm thinking even better would be if it would be possible to grow some sort of edible seaweed to absorb some of the salt first, or instead of the land based plants. Spirulina's fresh water, but it grows great in shallow tanks in the desert, so I'm wondering if there's salt water alternatives to that

[@markgoodair2978]

surely with the Netherlands getting plenty of rainwater this dilutes the effect of any saline water.

[@JasperKlijndijk]

not enough actually, pretty much all our soil is slowely getting salter, pretty big problem for our agriculture

[@davidburdick594]

They tried that in Russia and now the area that it was done in is a baron desert where nothing will grow

[@evanjaundzems940]

Electrolytes, it’s what plants crave -Idiocracy

[@erroleabrown4317]

I can’t believe it worked I’m thrilled but also can’t believe that we all for so many years believed the idiots that said you couldn’t put salt sea water on crops my god the world is going to be fed with this and all the worry of sea levels rising will be nothing in the future thank goodness someone had the good sense to try it out and get the results

[@maalikserebryakov]

You’re so ignorant its cute

[@gabrock55]

Hopefully AFTER the problem with all the micro plastics in the ocean gets solved that is, also the world can't only survive on root based vegetables, and if there's anything remotely similar to Panama disease happens again but with this other monoculture that's set us quite a bit behind. I agree this research is very important, but just wish there could be this much enthusiasm about more pressing matters like preventing us needing to rely on something like this for survival in the first place.

[@erroleabrown4317]

@@gabrock55 Good point and yes the big solution would be people being able to use land again for their livelihood and know that it is theirs to work and benefit from for their families

[@sheetalbhalerao8192]

Trees that grow on sea coast such as coconut Jackfruit jamun Cocum Imali mango palash kadamb babool maulashri shirish baobab banyan peeple umber shyamalan Ritha etc.& other species of the world can be tried with SEA WATER .If succeeded,then plants from the sea coast,of the whole world at a time takingadvantage of Sea water.After greening some moles, then move ahead inside the regions .That will fasten the process of greening world.

[@gabrock55]

However a large amount of those trees also require very specific soil properties, most of which can't be easily replicated, mix in issues of elevation and temperature it'll get very complicated and expensive very fast. Maybe there can be some way of genetically modifying or grafting but with how long it takes to grow trees, well put it this way how long this comment has been on this video most those trees would only be barely 2 ft tall. Prevention will always be better than the cure no way around it. More energy and time needs to be spent on cutting back a lot of our wasteful habits that are causing the real problem with salt water.

[@NewsBroadcasting]

breaking News = this is nothing new. humans been using satly sea water (with more salt) and more success) for thousands of years.

[@ibtchd7562]

using saline water and sea water for cultivation is only solution to world drought problems

[@FrankEdavidson]

No, depopulation is.

[@sunspotst7697]

Its absolutely wanderful, more food means we can feed more people that are in need👍

[@morningrays9899]

Is the crop salt content high to a point that it can be harmful to human health?

[@drpk6514]

Salt builds up if you keep watering with salin water.

[@rehanjawaid]

I am from Pakistan n belong to sea coastal District Badin where Salinity issue deprived many. This Video suggests better comparative crops n methods survive.

[@31436908]

And what about soil salinity?

[@diyprojects7421]

If you keep irrigating with salty water it will eventually become salt, then you got no soil and no plants problem solved.

[@nightwaves3203]

Flood irrigation is like is used in the SW Asia region is why there is salt laden soils. The Pakistani guys were shipped the potato's for growing. I'm sure some will be eaten just for tasting and messing around like anyone would do. Watermelon is one of the regions crops getting flood irrigated. What they don't mention is how much salt the salt resistant crops take out of the soil if much. That would be the major benefit of planting those crops.

[@LagubestbestMusicMalaysia]

They should start label their produce as 'raised from saltwater irrigated farm' right?

[@rashakos.7027]

I drilled water well in Kosovo. After tested water ,water is salted. Anyone can tell me can I use for Agriculture.

[@mypenservices3740]

But the video just highlighted the issue here

[@basarbalatl996]

Selamun aleykum inşaAllah Just wondering ; What if we put sea plant after or during plantation pataoto? Or you raw lime stone might help you. ( due to egzo reaction and pH Balancing) Olive tree or dead leaves also may gives back what soil needs . What do you do dead tulips? 42 / 28-29

[@danialholt4174]

1 season of saline water does not equal 10 seasons of saline water.

[@markvanderwal9922]

this may prove to be very useful,what about onions,and of course sea buckthorn.

[@Mr.BharathNayak]

Different types of soil also plays

[@NotJackAlderson]

Potatoes, onions, carrots and beet soup for the dystopian future, nice

[@somanathsshenoy]

Where can I order these? Interested in farming

[@tyalikanky]

You better gen-engineer them using natural salt-resistant plants.

[@JosephAlexanderR.]

I don't think salinating the land is a viable option.

[@JamieDSilva1]

is that gru?

[@feynstein1004]

Lmao dude

[@adeebajan4531]

Please explain the agriculture desalination

[@namnack]

How many harvests did they have?

[@bapo224]

they started in 2012 and are still continuing today.

[@losxmatitas6950]

@@bapo224 source???

[@bapo224]

@@losxmatitas6950 look it up on google yourself, I found an article about it.

[@lm2193]

Great job!

[@alameenmarcos3323]

i want to order 10 units machines please give the good price

[@SithSereyPheap1]

My brother and i had been talking about it for years.Farming with sea water......

[@JasperKlijndijk]

problem with that is the salt builds up on the ground, the water evaporates, but salt stays behind.

[@marianagodinezsansores1014]

it is only an idea but they could then harvest salt from the soil and have 2 industries going on in that place in different times of the year of course I have no knowledge in this topic but that's a quick suggestion

[@JasperKlijndijk]

salt was actually pretty widely harvested all along the dutch coast in the late dark ages, they did that by cooking a mixture of 'soil and salt sea water. some small villages could produce up to 6 million kilos salt a year, of wich almost all was ment for export.

[@JasperKlijndijk]

www.zeeuwseankers.nl/data/uploads/201407221053ce1db8bd140.jpg here's a image on a dutch history website giving you guys an idea how..

[@ibrahimsued4906]

@@marianagodinezsansores1014 The dame goes for the salt left in dessalinization plants. Bt I also have no knowledge, just like you. Let's meet one of these days :)

[@gurlalsingh3320]

Plz elaborate salinity more

[@monan80gb]

Sir koi mela hal

[@robertkertoikromo8643]

well done folks

[@poojamaheshwari2153]

my farm has saline water plz help me that how can I do farming with that? is it possible if yes than how in india?

[@A.P9369]

Can you tell me that how salinity effecte to your land i have a research paper about soil salinity plz sister help me

[@A.P9369]

On this email adress [e-mail]

[@dahamraj1083]

Reverse Ozmosis will remove salts

[@basarbalatl996]

Selamun aleykum inşaAllah Please put raw pataotoes in to sea water tank so salinity will decrease We do it while cooking: When we put too much salt then we put pataoto cube to absorb excess salt.. Regards,

[@sheetalbhalerao8192]

Off course there must be some other native trees in the world, suitable for climate,soil of the regions, but prefer tall spreading shadows useful trees

[@directorlunchie2322]

this is bad idea

[@molnarriki4876]

Bravo

[@ea.lowkey]

science doing it again

[@marvinsantos2977]

guess we dont need spice in future. there will be salt built in to the cropss

[@vinnieboyd5282]

Hum

[@samuelosebemoriasi2217]

this reporter is the voice over of the dad in hotel transylvinia

[@pizpiza009]

wer is this place

[@JasperKlijndijk]

texel, the first island in the row of islands above the netherlands.

[@nemichand_sirvi]

Price per hectare

[@kimnenninger7226]

Smart, who'd a thought.

[@jxhanvi]

the narrator sounds like gru from despicable me

[@MohdAbuNaiyan]

Interesting

[@admindadipancar5494]

we will see more Potatoes

[@adoesntequala5871]

Brawndo?

[@WadcaWymiaru]

There is far simples way to conserve the water: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGOnfYStZrBsg9U - Rechsand-Turing sand into gold and this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rIakdpRqhLd0obs - terra preta (11:00- mined)

[@مصراوي-م7م]

Wow

[@vicentiuXeduard]

all this contents about salt build up....untill enough salt builds up and nothing will grow....hmmm... isn't the ocean bioshfere one of the richest on the planet? You know what, even so, asuming that all the salt will build up and there will be mostly salt, i bet there are species of microorganism that just love salt. The question is if anyone figure it out what those are.

[@faab99]

Yes, but we are talking about the agriculture of plants we produce for food, maybe we have to look into alternative plants that can grow inside or with high salt-level water. That can be a great way of solving the incoming world food crisis.

[@lilaclizard4504]

what are you going to do with these microorganisms? most people struggle to eat even seaweeds because of how salty they are! You won't be able to eat them & they're not likely to grow on only salt, so what are you going to feed them? will likely take more resourses than it gives! You need to remember that desert areas can loose up to 10mms of water a day in evaporation, which results in a LOT of salt when seawater is used! Australia messed around with the idea for years of digging some sort of canal from the ocean to the inland below sea level salt water Lake Eyre, knowing the evaporation from it could change the entire environment due to the huge amount of evaporation, but the salt has always been too much of a problem for it to become reality

[@lolai4693]

Onnume puriyala

[@nesiansides7133]

that voice... Ah! despicable me 😇

[@NoNo-bv8uv]

China made it possible

[@chieftenbets2114]

Where do idiots get these comments from?? Rising sea levels have had zero effects on fresh water reserves. Rivers and lakes are affected by poor land management like in Australia where millions of acres of land are now useless due to mass land clearing. No fresh water lakes anywhere in the world have become salty due to Rising Sea Levels. This Vid is 100% idiotville stuff.

[@JasperKlijndijk]

salt water crops are fine and all, but it aint much if it aint dutch! :D

[@huahaaa4592]

i have idea new will gave you 100.000.000 dollars from salt water

[@dessipunjabi9743]

What ?

[@dogwedl1167]

xc

[@biblerecordingtencommandme7214]

#SALTCRYSTALSLAZERLIGHTCREATSUNLIMMITEDTRACEVESIONELECTRICITYNATERALCRYSTALSNOMOREPOWERLINESOROVERCHARGINGCLIMETOBURNUPSIMPLEWILLTOGROWUPNOSTALINGOTHERSLIFEFORRECORDPROFETS#OPLIVE#ARKOFTHECOVENTLIVEQUANTUMJESUSRETURNSWITHASSWOOPINGTHEOEADERSUMMITSFORABUSEOFPOWERS

[@hotmandead1]

Wow