Greening of Eritrea - 17min

Summary

Martin Sheen discusses the environmental threats and how some are now realities, such as the lack of fresh water causing famines. He highlights a project in Eritrea where seawater is used to grow food, creating jobs and combating drought. The initiative, involving seawater farms, shrimp operations, and mangrove forests, shows promise in transforming coastal deserts into productive green fields, potentially reversing global warming. This innovative approach could be replicated globally, offering a sustainable solution to food security and environmental challenges.

Takeaways

• 🌍 It's been 40 years since scientists started warning about environmental threats, and many predictions are now realities.
• 🚱 Lack of fresh water in arid regions is causing devastating famines as the Earth's population grows.
• 🌱 Some of the early advocates for environmental awareness are now taking action to address these issues.
• 🇪🇷 In Eritrea, seawater is being used to grow food for people and animals, creating jobs for hundreds of locals.
• 💧 The project involves the first commercial seawater farm, providing employment and a laboratory for marine biology students.
• 🍤 The farm includes shrimp operations, fish ponds, and fields of seawater-loving plants like salicornia and mangrove.
• 🌿 Salicornia is a versatile plant that can be used as a vegetable, a source of high-quality vegetable oil, and animal feed.
• 🌳 Mangrove forests planted with seawater irrigation provide firewood, building materials, and habitat for wildlife.
• 👩‍🌾 The project supports a cooperative of women who manage the mangrove forests and gain economic independence.
• 🌡️ The initiative aims to combat global warming by converting coastal deserts into green fields using seawater and sunlight.

Q & A

Who is narrating the video and what is the main topic?

The video is narrated by Martin Sheen, and it discusses the environmental threats to our planet, focusing on innovative projects using seawater to grow food in arid regions.

What specific problem is the small East African nation of Eritrea addressing?

Eritrea is addressing the problem of drought and lack of fresh water by using pure seawater to grow food for people and animals, thereby combating famine and creating jobs.

What is the goal of the seawater farms project in Eritrea?

The goal is to create a sustainable agricultural system using seawater to grow crops and raise livestock, which can help eliminate famine, create jobs, and make Eritrea an exporter of food.

What are the benefits of using seawater for agriculture as mentioned in the video?

The benefits include providing employment, bringing foreign currency into the economy through seafood exports, producing animal feed, and reducing global warming by greening desert areas.

What types of crops are being grown using seawater in Eritrea?

Crops such as salicornia and mangrove are being grown. Salicornia can be used as a vegetable, for producing vegetable oil, and as high-protein meal for animal feed.

How does the seawater farm system work in Eritrea?

The system involves dredging a channel for seawater to flow into the desert, using the water to raise shrimp and fish, and then using the nutrient-enriched water to irrigate crops. The water is eventually biologically cleaned and returned to the sea.

What role do mangrove trees play in the seawater farming project?

Mangrove trees are planted densely, and as they grow, they provide animal feed, building material, firewood, and help stabilize the soil. They also absorb carbon, which helps mitigate global warming.

Who benefits from the mangrove industry in Eritrea?

A cooperative of women, including widows, benefit from the mangrove industry by harvesting and selling mangrove leaves for animal feed, which helps them achieve self-sufficiency.

What future potential does the seawater agriculture project have according to the video?

The project has the potential to be replicated in other coastal desert areas around the world, creating green, productive fields that can feed millions and absorb significant amounts of carbon from the atmosphere.

How does the project contribute to combating global warming?

By greening the desert and increasing vegetation cover, the project helps absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby reducing global warming.

What is the broader vision for the seawater agriculture project?

The broader vision is to convert 25,000 miles of coastal deserts around the world into lush, productive green fields that use seawater and sunlight to feed millions of people and reverse global warming.

What is the main message conveyed by Martin Sheen at the end of the video?

Martin Sheen encourages viewers to join the effort to make the vision of seawater agriculture a reality by visiting the project's website to find out how they can help.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Environmental Challenges and Seawater Agriculture in Eritrea

Martin Sheen discusses the growing environmental threats predicted by scientists 40 years ago, now becoming realities. The small East African nation of Eritrea is combating these threats by using seawater to grow food, creating jobs for hundreds of people. This project has the potential to expand across various regions, providing a global solution to famine and environmental degradation.

05:02

🚰 The Inception of Seawater Farms Eritrea

Seawater Farms Eritrea, initiated in 1998, utilizes seawater to foster agriculture. By creating a saltwater river from the Red Sea, the farm supports shrimp and fish farming, which in turn enriches the soil for agricultural crops. This closed-cycle system not only enhances local food production but also aims to prevent famine and transform Eritrea into a food exporter, demonstrating a sustainable model for global application.

10:03

🌳 Mangrove Forestry and Livestock Production

Seawater forestry farming in Eritrea, specifically growing mangrove trees, has shown significant agricultural potential. These trees provide animal feed, stabilize the soil, and create carbon-rich soil over time. This sustainable method not only supports local wildlife but also offers economic opportunities for local women, enhancing their education and self-sufficiency. The success of this project could be replicated along coastlines worldwide.

15:03

🌊 Global Vision for Seawater Agriculture

The seawater revolution in Eritrea could be crucial for the nation's survival amidst ongoing droughts. The broader vision aims to transform 25,000 miles of coastal deserts globally into fertile green fields. This environmentally friendly approach could reverse global warming by absorbing atmospheric carbon, showcasing a sustainable and innovative solution for future generations. Visit seawaterforest.org to learn more and contribute to this vision.

Keywords

💡Environmental threats

Environmental threats refer to potential dangers to the natural world caused by human activities or natural events. The video highlights how predictions about these threats, such as water scarcity and drought, are becoming realities, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these issues.

💡Drought

Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water. In the video, drought is a significant challenge in Eritrea, affecting food production and the livelihood of its people. The seawater farm project aims to mitigate the impacts of drought by using seawater for agriculture.

💡Seawater Farms Eritrea

Seawater Farms Eritrea is an initiative that uses seawater to grow crops and support livestock in drought-prone areas. This project, located near the port city of Masawa, serves as a model for sustainable agriculture, creating jobs and providing food security in Eritrea.

💡Salicornia

Salicornia is a salt-tolerant plant that can be grown using seawater. It has multiple uses, including as a vegetable, a source of high-quality vegetable oil, and a protein-rich animal feed. The video showcases how salicornia is cultivated on a commercial scale in Eritrea, contributing to food security and economic development.

💡Mangrove

Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that can thrive in coastal environments. In the video, mangrove forests are grown using seawater, providing animal feed, building materials, and environmental benefits like soil stabilization and carbon sequestration. This helps combat global warming and supports local communities.

💡Carbon sequestration

Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. The video explains how the seawater farm's plants, including mangroves and salicornia, absorb CO2, thus reducing global warming and enhancing soil carbon content, which is crucial for sustainable agriculture.

💡Global warming

Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth's average temperature due to human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases. The video connects global warming to drought and highlights how the seawater farm's projects help mitigate its effects by absorbing carbon and promoting green agriculture.

💡Marine biology

Marine biology is the study of ocean ecosystems and the organisms that inhabit them. The video mentions that students from the University of Asmara study marine biology at the seawater farm, where they learn about sustainable practices in aquaculture and seawater agriculture.

💡Economic development

Economic development involves improving the economic well-being and quality of life for a community. The seawater farm in Eritrea contributes to economic development by creating jobs, generating income through seafood exports, and fostering self-sufficiency in food production, which benefits the local population.

💡Sustainable agriculture

Sustainable agriculture refers to farming practices that meet current food needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. The video showcases the seawater farm in Eritrea as a model of sustainable agriculture, using seawater to grow crops and support livestock, thereby conserving freshwater resources and enhancing food security.

Highlights

Environmental threats discussed 40 years ago are now becoming realities, such as devastating famines due to a lack of fresh water in arid regions.

Innovative project in Eritrea using pure seawater to grow food for people and animals, creating jobs for hundreds of citizens.

The project is aimed at combatting drought, a major issue for Eritrea, a country with a long history of revolution and drought.

Seawater Farms Eritrea and the Desert Development Foundation have established the world's first commercial seawater farm.

Carl Hodes, an atmospheric physicist, believes seawater agriculture can eliminate famine in Eritrea and make the country an exporter of food.

The seawater farm exports seafood, providing dollars to Eritrea's economy and employment for its people.

The principal field crops of salicornia and mangrove have multiple uses, including much-needed feed for livestock.

The farm's use of seawater reduces global warming by greening the Earth's surface.

A river of seawater flows upstream into the desert, enriching shrimp and fish ponds, then irrigating crops, and eventually returning to the Red Sea.

Salicornia, a seawater-loving plant, can be used as a vegetable, for high-quality vegetable oil, and as a high-protein meal.

Mangrove forests provide animal feed, building materials, and a haven for wildlife, including more than 200 species of birds.

A cooperative of women in Eritrea is involved in the mangrove industry, picking and selling mangrove leaves for animal feed.

The project demonstrates that livestock production can be developed using seawater plants along coastal areas, providing economic development opportunities.

The vision includes converting 25,000 miles of coastal deserts worldwide into productive green fields using seawater and sunlight.

The project aims to reverse global warming by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere through greening desert coastlines.

Transcripts

hello I'm Martin Sheen you know it's

been 40 years since some concerned

scientists started talking about

environmental threats to our planet

unfortunately a number of those

predictions are now becoming realities

the lack of fresh water in the normally

erid parts of the world are now causing

devastating famines as the world's six

billion people stretch the Earth's

capabilities but some of the people who

talked about these environmental threats

are doing something about them and I'd

like you to see what they've done in the

small East African nation of erria using

pure seawater to grow food for people

and animals and through that effort put

hundreds of developing World citizens to

work as you watch this incredible story

unfold just imagine it happening in

thousands of other places from the Red

Sea to other coasts of Africa to India

and Asia to Mexico where it's already

begun and on to South America a project

for the whole

world

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right now it's millions of people are

not having access to enough food every

day each person needs about 2,100 kilo

calories and they're not getting

anywhere close to that people say every

four or 5 years it's going to be another

serious drought it's how airri is able

to handle the drought and respond to it

that's going to

matter it is a mirr DOT a blur on a

spinning

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globe a drought-ridden North African

country only slightly larger than the

state of Pennsylvania its Coastline

lying parched against the Red

Sea

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the coasts of

arrea are the origin of human

being from these

places from this Coast Humanity

immigrated all over the world everybody

has his root in this place

although its roots are ancient Eritrea

is the youngest Nation on the African

continent revolution has marred its

history a long bitter war for

independence has scarred its

landscape but there is a new Revolution

underway one that has nothing to do with

guns and

tanks it is a surging Revolution aimed

at claiming freedom from the Relentless

drought that drains the nation's

resources and saps the energy of its

people hello there how are

you all these beautiful young children

depend on goat milk camel milk and they

normally depend on a little bit of grain

they grow um uh maze corn and another

year you could see it growing here this

year zero NADA because of no

rain it is here on the Red Sea near the

supp Port City of masawa that the war

against drought is taking rote this new

Revolution has replaced guns and tanks

with technology and human

resolve seawater Farms Eritrea and the

desert development foundation have

joined together with International

investors and the government of Eritrea

to establish the world's first

commercial seawat Farm it has created

jobs for over 400 errans and also sered

serves as a laboratory for marine

biology students from the University of

Asmara it's been tough at times Carl

Hodes is the founding

director an atmospheric physicist and

former director of the environmental

research lab at the University of

Arizona Hodes believes that growing

seawater loving plants in desert areas

could have a profound effect on

eritrea's

future

this technology seawater agriculture

when it's finally in all of its Glory

with with maybe 20 or 30 agronomic crops

with a whole spectrum of aquatic

animals will eliminate the possibility

of famine in Atria forever it will be

gone and in fact it will make arria an

exporter of food so it has tremendous

potential

the benefits are

three-fold exporting Seafood brings

dollars into eritrea's economy and

provides employment for its

people the principal field crops of

salicornia and Mangrove have many uses

including much needed ruminant feed for

the country's

livestock and The Greening of any

portion of the Earth's surface reduces

global warming believed by many to be a

contributing factor to Global

drought the seawater Farm was begun in

1998 with the dredging of a channel that

allowed water to flow from the Red Sea a

saltwater river flowing Upstream into

the

desert freshwater agriculture was

invented about 10,000 years ago mean we

could stay home and somebody else would

grow our food all of our cultures built

on it but now we've run out of fresh

water this is seawater this is a river

of seawater coming

Inland the newly created thre M long

river meanders purposely through

seawater Farms first filling large tanks

that anchor the farm shrimp

operation the water continues its route

to enrich commercial fish

ponds then twice enhanced with nutrients

from the shrimp and fish effluent the

river flows on to irrigate and fertilize

agricultural crops

eventually many weeks or months later

having been biologically cleaned as it

is filtered through the ground the water

makes its way back to the Red

Sea the goal of of this shrimp farm is

to produce an export crop for irraa so

that they can sell this and bring

foreign currency in and at the time

we're selling our shrimp in Europe

they've been sold in uh Paris and London

and we tried to keep our our um cropping

plans flexible so that we can provide

different sizes of

shrimp this Farm is a completely closed

cycle in the sense that all the effluent

from these shrimp ponds goes on to

salicornia farm and eventually to the

wetlands and salt production none of it

ever goes back to the ocean and as far

as I know it's the first Farm that's

ever been built like that and that

addresses the contamination and

pollution uh issue so

successfully ponds of Tilapia a food

fish being raised for the marketplace

are fertilized with water from the

shrimp

operation later the enriched pond water

is siphoned off to irrigate fields of

salicornia salicornia is a hopy one of a

family of plants that grows in pure

untreated

seawater this is a Comm commercial scale

farm right here this salicornia field

salicornia is exciting because you have

the green plant when it's young you can

eat it like a vegetable when you harvest

the seed which is about 20% of the total

biomass of that seed 30% is a high

quality vegetable oil like safflower oil

for cooking or salad dressing and the

meal the 70% that's left behind is as

good as soybean meal it's high protein

you can use it to as a supplement to

human food you can use it in animal

diets it's truly an exciting

plant salicornia also has commercial

value in the strong composition building

material that can be made from its dried

husks the concept is to cover every

square inch of land so we're maximizing

the benefit of solar energy here the

input energy is representing money in

addition to being used for fodder this

ornamental alite is also used to for

cooling the climate in the local

area this ground cover is also very

helpful in stabilizing the soil against

wind

erosion this plant if I don't break it

off has something underground that is

critically important let me rinse it off

this sand that that plant was growing in

has essentially no carbon this root

structure is a

carbohydrate good agricultural soil

which this will become over many many

years has 16 to 18% carbon so what we've

done is we've taken fossil fuel oil from

Plants millions of years ago put it into

the air as carbon dioxide made our life

good by using energy we're now with

intelligence taking it back out

generating wealth This Is wealth above

ground wealth and we're creating high

carbon level soil for future Generations

this is the way to solve global

warming if there's one area on the farm

I hope everybody understands it's this

this is seawater forestry

farming it is not forestry in the

classical sense these are mangrove trees

that are 2 years old they were seeds 2

years ago when they were when we planted

them 25 per square meter we planted them

this far apart then when they were one

year in we cut every other tree when we

did that we got an incredible yield we

got 10.6 metric tons of stems per hectar

per year probably more importantly we

got 18 metric tons of leaves for animal

feed dry weight of leaves and we left 35

tons of roots per hectar stored in the

soil these are the roots of the mangr it

makes roots and sticks them up so that

even when this is being arrogated it can

breathe oxygen this was the diameter of

a mangrove tree one year old here's one

2 years old you can see the incredible

growth with this part missing that's

what a mangrove seed looks it

falls if the roots start out find the

ground it turns up and in 2 years

that'll be a tree this big as the trees

get bigger they're building

material and as the forests increase in

density they will provide firewood

already a commercial honey crop is being

harvested flamingos herons and more than

200 other species of birds have already

found refuge in the fledgling

Forest The Mangrove industry has also

offered a Haven for a Cooperative of

women who have become the Guardians of

the forest they pick and sell the

mangrove leaves that are used used as a

component for animal feed so this is

like the the pilot group it's 27 uh

widows Mo mostly not all of them but the

idea is to have a program where they

have they can have

education but the main thing is to

number achieve that these women become

self-sufficient from the forestry so

these women and are experts on mangroves

they know how to grow it take care of

them they see

uh the times the everything they can

teach you whatever you want to know

about mangroves the number thousands

more lury here in nria is very very very

low I don't know exactly but I don't

think none of the women knew how to ride

and breed before coming

here and now mostly all of them know how

to do

that

one of the greatest potentials here in

arria is uh livestock production um

obviously in a place like this that's uh

drought prone um you can't really talk

about growing large amounts of Wheat and

large amounts of cereals here so we have

to look at livestock if we can develop

this um halite based uh small ruminant

feed and we can grow animals here and we

can feed them on basically seaweed

mangroves that kind of thing then that

idea can be replicated up and down the

up and down the Red Sea

Coast why couldn't we do it in any place

along any Coastline where seawater

plants grow and there's a need for

economic development which describes a

tremendous part of the

world the arrian coastal area is the

origin of human

being human beings have their Roots here

and um I would like to see everybody

coming here to see his roots people from

over the world the humanity you know

it's also the the roots of the second

Agricultural Revolution it started

10,000 years ago CU now we're using

seawater we're battling against human

ignorance we're battling against human

greed people that want look at the

developing world as a place to make

money exclusively not putting it in a

broad enough

context we're battling against

time basically what we're doing is we're

taking human

intelligence photo synthesis putting

them together correctly when human

intelligence built those

tanks the whole agenda of war was not

the best use of human intelligence if

you're defending yourself if you're

fighting for Independence yes once

you've got it a much better use is to

let all these remnants that you see

around here tanks laying and

seawater that will dissolve over the

next 25 years and those iron molecules

will be in those mangrove trees that's a

much better use of human intelligence

and it's a much more thrilling and

rewarding war to

fight cycles of drought will continue in

arria for Drought is no stranger to the

Horn of

Africa the sea water Revolution that is

Greening the desert at masawa could well

be a matter of survival for this Young

Nation yet among some there is an even

greater Vision

stirring there are 25,000 miles of

coastal deserts around the world the

ultimate goal lies further than the eye

can see and the oceans

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flow just imagine converting much of the

25,000 miles of desert coastlines around

the world to Lush productive green

fields that feed Millions imagine doing

it in an environmentally enhancing way

that absorbs enough carbon from the

atmosphere to reverse global warming and

doing it all using the unlimited

seawater and sunlight that surrounds our

planet what an amazing opportunity for

our future if you'd like to join me and

find out what you can do to help make

this Vision a reality visit our website

at seawater forest.org

[Applause]

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you