Message received :

“I keep wondering about the possibility of watering the deserts. With  global warming predicting a rise in sea and ocean levels would it not be possible to pump sea water into the deserts after desalinization?  Yes, desalinization needs energy, but using solar energy which most of  these areas have plentiful of,  this should be possible.

Turning the deserts into forests would have the benefits of reducing the CO2 levels and sea levels as well as reducing the ambient temperature of the planet. Not to mention the benefits to the local inhabitants.

Sincerely

Travis Vowinkel”

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Dear Travis,

Thanks for this interesting idea.  Desalinization of ocean water is feasible but very expensive, even with solar energy.  Let us accept that this “solution” would be applied on all continents if only the cost-benefit analysis would be positive enough to invest in this technology.  As today, desalinization of sea water is only applied in a few places, we have to hope that improved new technologies for desalinization will be developed in the future.

Nevertheless, as a consultant of UNICEF for their family gardens project in the Sahara desert, we have undeniably shown that plant growth in the desert can be cost-efficiently produced by applying another technology : the use of water and fertilizer absorbing soil conditioners. With a minimum of rather saline water a maximum of biomass can be produced in such a hostile environment as the Sahara desert (see pictures below).

2005-09-29 - Private garden in the refugee camp of Dahla (S.W. Algeria) : Saline irrigation water is taken from a small well; production of vegetables is rather difficult becuse of enhancing salinization of the small beds in the garden, but a date palm is doing quite well. (Photo WVC).

2006-05 - Vegetable production in a community garden of the refugee camp of Layoun (S.W. Algeria). Quite good results with desalinized irrigation water. (Photo WVC).

2006-05 - Remarkable community garden close to the refugee camp of Aussert (S.W. Algeria). Irrigation with fresh water from a nearby well. (Photo WVC).

2006-12 - Field training in the refugee camp of Layoun (S.W. Algeria). Application of a water and fertilizer absorbing soil conditioner is shown by a local engineer. Drought tolerant seedlings will be planted. (Photo WVC).2006-12 - Minister of Public Health and his staff members, together with two medical doctors on a UNICEF evaluation trip to the refugee camps, close to a 8 ft. high Prosopis tree planted as a 2 ft. high seedling with a soil conditioner in the plant hole in October 2005. What a remarkable tree growth with a minimum of irrigation, showing that afforestation is possible with the use of modern technologies. (Photo WVC).