The next agricultural revolution | Sam Norton | TEDxCharleston

Summary

The speaker discusses an agricultural revolution using halophytes, salt-tolerant plants that can thrive on seawater, to combat the effects of climate change like rising sea levels and CO2 levels. After several failed attempts at outdoor seawater farming, they successfully develop a vertical saltwater farm that converts CO2 and seawater into fresh water, food, and jobs. They then scale this concept to rice paddies in Asia, revitalizing salinized lands and improving local farming conditions, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices in this second agricultural revolution.

Takeaways

• 🏠 The speaker's family home in South Carolina is at risk of being submerged due to rising sea levels caused by excessive CO2 in the atmosphere.
• 🌱 The concept of a 'second agricultural revolution' is introduced, focusing on utilizing seawater and CO2 to produce fresh water, food, jobs, and habitat through the cultivation of halophyte plants.
• 🔬 Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that evolved in the saltiest environments on Earth and can thrive on seawater, making them ideal for this new agricultural approach.
• 📈 The speaker embarked on a series of experiments to cultivate halophytes in various conditions, facing multiple failures before finding success.
• 🌊 Experiments included planting in confined disposal facilities, along the intertidal zone, and pumping seawater onto land, each presenting unique challenges and failures.
• 🌱 The successful cultivation of halophytes in a controlled environment led to the establishment of a company and the world's first vertical saltwater farm.
• 💰 The vertical farming method, while successful, resulted in expensive products, limiting its accessibility and global impact.
• 🌾 A solution was found by introducing halophyte cultivation to salinized rice paddies in Asia, revitalizing the land and providing a new crop for farmers.
• 🌍 The potential for this agricultural method to scale globally is highlighted, with the number of participating farmers expected to increase exponentially.
• 🌳 The importance of learning from the mistakes of the first agricultural revolution and prioritizing sustainable practices that do not compromise the planet is emphasized.
• 💡 The script concludes with a reminder of the principles underlying this new approach: using seawater, CO2, light, and the right plants to extract salt, capture carbon, release fresh water, and grow food.

Q & A

What is the main challenge the speaker's family home faces?

The speaker's family home is threatened by rising sea levels caused by excess CO2 in the atmosphere, which is leading to its eventual disappearance along with many other coastal houses.

What is a halophyte and why are they significant in the context of the speech?

A halophyte is a salt-tolerant plant that has evolved to thrive in the saltiest environments on Earth. They are significant because they can potentially help in creating a machine that converts seawater and CO2 into fresh water, food, jobs, and habitat.

What does the speaker refer to as the 'second agricultural revolution'?

The second agricultural revolution refers to the shift towards using seawater for agriculture due to the increasing scarcity of fresh water and arable land, driven by climate change and population growth.

What were the initial failures in the speaker's experiments with halophytes?

The initial failures included plants growing in confined disposal facilities being contaminated with pollutants, seeds being washed away in the intertidal zone, and plants dying due to excessive salinity and heat when grown on land.

How did the speaker overcome the challenges faced in the early experiments?

The speaker moved to a vertical farming model, which eliminated land use constraints, controlled the environment with artificial light, and used software to manage salinity, leading to successful growth and harvest of halophytes.

What is the significance of the world's first vertical saltwater farm?

The world's first vertical saltwater farm demonstrated that it is possible to convert CO2 and seawater into healthy food and fresh water, marking a significant step towards a new form of sustainable agriculture.

Why are the products of vertical farming considered expensive?

The high costs of vertical farming are due to the technology and infrastructure required to maintain controlled environments for plant growth, which can be a barrier to widespread adoption.

What solution did the speaker find to make outdoor seawater agriculture viable at a low cost?

The speaker found a solution by working with farmers in Bangladesh to plant halophytes in salinized rice paddies, which not only provided a new crop for the farmers but also improved the soil for subsequent rice cultivation.

How does the speaker address the issue of salinization in rice paddies?

The speaker addresses salinization by introducing halophytes that absorb salt from the soil, allowing the farmers to have a new crop to sell and eventually restoring the soil for rice cultivation.

What principles should the second agricultural revolution adhere to, according to the speaker?

The second agricultural revolution should prioritize sustainability over profits, ensuring that it does not contribute to land loss, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and fresh water loss as the previous agricultural methods did.

What is the final message the speaker conveys about the potential of halophytes?

The speaker conveys that halophytes, when given light and the right conditions, can consistently extract salt, capture carbon, release fresh water, and grow food, offering a sustainable solution for future agricultural needs.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Sea Level Rise and the Agricultural Revolution

The speaker introduces the concept of an agricultural revolution driven by the need to adapt to rising sea levels due to excess CO2. They discuss the potential of halophyte plants, which can thrive on seawater, to create fresh water, food, jobs, and habitat. The speaker shares their personal journey, starting with unsuccessful experiments in confined disposal facilities and the intertidal zone, and eventually finding success with a controlled seawater pumping system. However, this method faced challenges due to seasonal changes and landowner issues, leading to the realization that a new approach was needed.

05:02

🌱 The Evolution of Seawater Agriculture

The speaker explores the challenges faced by traditional seawater agriculture projects, such as land use constraints, salt buildup, and seasonality. They propose a solution with vertical farming, which eliminates land use issues, seasonality, and salt accumulation problems by using artificial light and software to control salinity. This method proved successful, leading to the creation of the world's first vertical saltwater farm. However, the high cost of vertical farming products limits their accessibility, prompting the speaker to seek a more cost-effective and globally impactful solution.

10:02

🌾 Revitalizing Salinized Rice Paddies with Salt-Tolerant Plants

The speaker describes a breakthrough in seawater agriculture by partnering with farmers in Bangladesh to grow salt-tolerant plants in salinized rice paddies. This method not only provided a new crop for the farmers but also improved the soil quality, allowing for the return of rice cultivation. The success of this approach is highlighted by the rapid increase in the number of participating farmers and the potential for this method to be a key component of a sustainable second agricultural revolution.

💧 Principles of a Sustainable Agricultural Revolution

In the final paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of adhering to principles that ensure the sustainability of the second agricultural revolution. They illustrate the process of extracting salt and capturing carbon while releasing fresh water and growing food through a simple demonstration. The speaker calls for a revolution that prioritizes the planet over profits and aligns with the natural processes that have been demonstrated throughout the talk.

Keywords

💡Agricultural Revolution

The term 'Agricultural Revolution' refers to a period of rapid transformation in agriculture that significantly increased agricultural productivity and efficiency. In the video, it is used to describe the historical shift from hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities, and the speaker calls for a 'second agricultural revolution' to address modern challenges like sea level rise and CO2 emissions.

💡Halophytes

Halophytes are plants that are adapted to grow in saline environments. They are highlighted in the video as a potential solution for sustainable agriculture in the face of increasing salinity and CO2 levels. The speaker's experiments with halophytes are central to the narrative, showcasing their ability to thrive on seawater and contribute to a new form of agriculture.

💡Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise is the increase in the volume of water in the ocean, leading to a rise in sea levels. It is mentioned in the script as a consequence of excess CO2 in the atmosphere, which is causing coastal homes, like the speaker's, to be at risk of being submerged. This environmental issue is a catalyst for the proposed agricultural changes discussed in the video.

💡CO2 Emissions

CO2 emissions, or carbon dioxide emissions, are the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. In the video, they are identified as a major contributor to climate change, causing sea levels to rise and making traditional agriculture unsustainable.

💡Salt-Tolerant Plants

Salt-tolerant plants, also known as halophytes, are those that can survive in high-salinity conditions. The video emphasizes the importance of these plants in developing a new agricultural system that can utilize seawater and thrive in environments affected by salinization.

💡Vertical Farming

Vertical farming is a method of agriculture where plants are grown in vertically stacked layers, often in controlled environments. The speaker describes the creation of the world's first vertical saltwater farm, which was a successful experiment in growing halophytes without the constraints of land use and seasonality.

💡Salinity

Salinity refers to the saltiness of a body of water, measured by the amount of dissolved salts. In the context of the video, salinity is a key factor in the challenges faced by coastal agriculture and the potential of halophytes to grow in saline conditions.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the video is discussed in relation to the need for a new type of agriculture that can endure environmental changes without causing further harm to the planet. The speaker advocates for a second agricultural revolution that is sustainable and does not prioritize profits over the environment.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is the long-term alteration in average weather patterns and is largely attributed to human activities, such as the emission of greenhouse gases. The video touches on climate change as the backdrop for the necessity of a new agricultural approach that can mitigate the effects of rising sea levels and CO2 emissions.

💡Rice Paddies

Rice paddies are fields where rice is grown in flooded conditions. The script mentions that many rice paddies in Asia are becoming salinized due to rising sea levels, leading to a decline in rice production. The speaker's initiative to plant halophytes in these paddies demonstrates a practical application of the new agricultural approach.

💡Seasonality

Seasonality refers to the influence of seasons on the growth and development of plants. In the video, the speaker discusses the limitations of seasonality in traditional agriculture and how vertical farming, with controlled environments, can overcome these limitations and allow for year-round growth of halophytes.

Highlights

A revolution in agriculture is needed due to the impact of climate change and rising sea levels.

The concept of a halophyte, a salt-tolerant plant, is introduced as a solution to utilize seawater and CO2.

The speaker's personal connection to the issue, with his family home at risk of being lost to sea level rise.

An outline of a second agricultural revolution based on seawater instead of freshwater.

The idea of scaling up halophyte cultivation to address future challenges in food, water, and land scarcity.

The initial failure of the first experiment with halophytes in confined disposal facilities due to contamination.

The second experiment's failure due to natural elements washing away seeds in the intertidal zone.

The success of the third experiment, growing halophytes on land with controlled conditions, leading to a first harvest.

The challenges of seasonality and salinity affecting the growth and edibility of halophytes.

The rejection of the idea by a thesis committee, but support from one professor to continue research.

The discovery of common reasons for failure in outdoor seawater agriculture projects.

The innovative approach of vertical farming to overcome land use and seasonality constraints.

The successful establishment of the world's first vertical saltwater farm.

The economic challenge of making vertical farming products affordable for a broader audience.

The adaptation of halophyte farming in salinized rice paddies in Asia, providing a new crop for farmers.

The potential for this agricultural method to scale up and have a significant global impact.

The importance of learning from past agricultural practices to ensure sustainability and minimal environmental impact.

The fundamental principles of the new agricultural revolution, emphasizing the extraction of salt, capture of carbon, and release of fresh water.

The applause and positive reception indicating the audience's support for the presented ideas and solutions.

Transcripts

[Music]

we are in the midst

of a revolution

an agricultural one

let me explain why

my dad built this house

my brother and i grew up in it

my mom still lives in it

but this century

it will be gone

like many houses on the coast of south

carolina and coasts around the world

it's going to be swallowed up

by excess sea level rise caused by

excess co2

in the atmosphere

there is too much sea water

and there's too much co2

so what if we could create a machine

that would take in seawater and take in

co2 and output fresh water

food

jobs

habitat

i have good news one already exists

it's called a halophyte

these salt-tolerant plants evolved

millions of years ago in the saltiest

saltiest places of earth where there was

no competition from other plants

they thrive on sea water

we need to scale

them up

our ancestors created the first

agricultural revolution by taking seeds

from plants that grow with fresh water

giving them good soil

and breeding them and scaling it up into

the farms that fed all of us today

but tomorrow

there will be 350 000 new mouths of feet

350 000

there will be less fresh water to do it

with there will be less arable land to

do it with

there will be more seawater there's

going to be more co2

we need a second agricultural revolution

this time based on earth's largest

resource

sea water

i was so captivated by this idea a few

years ago i grabbed seeds from some of

the native salt tolerant plants in south

carolina and set out on a mission

experiment one

so i took the seeds and i put them in

what are called confined disposal

facilities they exist all over the

harbor and other harbors in the world

every time we deepen our river to make

room for bigger ships we put the mud in

a confined space the water evaporates

and you're left with a salty desert

you've probably seen some on the way

here

the plants started growing

and they were looking healthy but we

realized very early on you do not do not

want to eat food off of these spaces

they're filled with petroleum and heavy

metals and plastics and all the stuff

that humans create

experiment one was a failure

it's okay back to the drawing board

experiment two this time

took the seeds

and i plant them along the intertidal

zone

where they naturally exist

seawater agricultural revolution would

be harmonious with nature

but within a few weeks high tides heavy

winds washed all the seeds away

experiment two was a failure

said i said okay

let's pump the sea water onto land

where we can control the tides

and the plants started to grow and they

looked healthy

and they were growing and they were

still looking healthy

and in may we got our first harvest

and chefs bought it

collected first check

started a company

and in june

the water got so salty and hot that all

the plants died

when i went to restart that experiment

the seasons had been changing

and the plants started to flower

and when plants flower they become

inedible

i said that's okay i asked the landowner

can i use your space uh next year and

he said

no sam i'm going to develop it

experiment three

was a failure

it was close

so at that point i had gotten into

graduate school with this idea like i

really can

turn sea water and co2 into food

but i didn't get a

thesis committee they they didn't think

that this idea was was workable it was a

little bit pie in the sky

but that's okay because one professor

gave me the keys to his lab

and let me run with it and what i found

was that

many many of this outdoor

seawater agriculture projects had failed

for the same three reasons mine had just

failed a land use constraint if you want

to do seawater agriculture you must be

near the coast

people live near the coast

the land's expensive

and so you put your seawater farm in a

deserted place near the coast

but when you pump sea water the water

evaporates and you build up salt and

even these plants can't take salt

and their yields start to go down

in those quantities

and the third seasonality

the seasons control when these plants

flower that becomes bad for agriculture

and makes it hard to control so i said

okay let's take these plants vertically

that way there's no land use constraint

we can do it in the city

let's replace the sun with light

and that way there is no seasonality

and let's let software

monitor manipulate the salinity and we

won't build up salt

and the plants started to grow

and we harvested them and they sold

and we did it again we harvested them

they sold

investors joined

and we built a team

and last year that team built the

world's first vertical

saltwater farm

we

experiment 4 was a success

we showed it was possible you can take

co2 and seawater

and you can output healthy food

healthy salt fresh water

jobs

our first product is now in 40 states

40

but there's a catch

the products of vertical farming

are expensive

not that many people could join us in

the agricultural revolution

so it's back to the drawing board

can we find a way to do this out of

doors at a low cost and make a global

impact

and we found one

you see all along the coasts

of asia there are rice paddies and many

of those rice paddies are becoming

salinized for the same reason

that i'm going to lose the family home

three rice harvests per year have become

two

or one

or the farmers have left

so we got the ministry of agriculture in

bangladesh to find four farmers who are

crazy enough

to let me and a couple others come onto

their land and plant these salt tolerant

plants

and it worked

we took salt out of the soil and into

the plants those farmers had a new crop

to sell at the market and in the next

season their rice yields

went back up

wow

we had four farmers that year

this year there's 40.

next year

400.

[Music]

we are descended from creatures

which crawled out

of that salty primordial soup

called the ocean

and now we're going to turn back to it

as the resource which will sustain our

species for the next

few centuries

but let's pause

remember that when our ancestors created

the first

agricultural revolution they did it with

good intentions

and yet those methods are now

responsible for most of the world's

land loss deforestation biodiversity

loss fresh water loss

this

second agricultural revolution

has to be different

it it cannot put

profits

over the planet

it has to

[Applause]

it has to stay true to a few principles

which have been happening

in the last nine minutes of this talk

okay

water from the atlantic ocean is being

taken up through this plant and the salt

and the nutrients are being left behind

the fresh water is being released

the co2 in that cup has been going like

this

it happens every time

we just have to

keep to these simple principles if you

take seawater and co2

and give it light and a plant a correct

plant that is salt tolerant every single

time salt is extracted

carbon

is captured

fresh water

is released

food is grown

wow

[Applause]

[Music]

you