Saline agriculture may be the future of farming

Interesting article discussing an article in Science on saline agriculture.

Jeremy Hance, mongabay.com
December 4, 2008

Salinization is occurring globally for a number of reasons. Perhaps surprisingly, irrigation is a major cause of salinity. High rates of continuous evaporation and transpiration, caused by irrigation, bring salts up from deep in the soil, contaminating arable land. In dry regions, the change from forest to agriculture moves salt from groundwater into the soil. Finally, rises in sea-level are inundating agricultural lands along the coasts with seawater. Over fifteen years ago, a study found that of the 230 million hectares of land under irrigation, 45 million had seen an increase in salt: nearly 20 percent of the world’s irrigated land. 

the article continues on that some countries, like Australia and currently Iraq, are dealing with salinity by pumping it out and replacing it with fresh. Sounds expensive.

Solving the food crisis needs water

The world’s food crisis has plunged a further 100 million people below the poverty line. For a family living on $5 per day, the almost doubling of food bills means that to survive they have to forgo medicines, educational opportunities and sometimes meals. This is a disgrace…

 

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