Greening of Eritrea - 17min
Summary
TLDRMartin 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
🌍 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.
🚰 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.
🌳 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.
🌊 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Environmental threats
💡Drought
💡Seawater Farms Eritrea
💡Salicornia
💡Mangrove
💡Carbon sequestration
💡Global warming
💡Marine biology
💡Economic development
💡Sustainable agriculture
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
[Music]
[Music]
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
[Music]
globe a drought-ridden North African
country only slightly larger than the
state of Pennsylvania its Coastline
lying parched against the Red
Sea
[Music]
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
[Music]
[Music]
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]
[Music]
you
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