Nano Clay - The Liquid Turning Desert to Farmland - Rachel Lovell

 

Rachel Lovell is a well known journalist known for her work on environmental and agricultural topics. Her, "Nano Clay: The Liquid Turning Desert to Farmland was published in 2020. This article that appeared in 'Fellow Food' presents a hopeful glimpse into the future of sustainable agriculture in arid regions. Desert control, a Norwegian Company and the Great Green wall project in Africa are at the forefront to combat desertification and restore degraded land. Nano clay technology has helped them transform the barren deserts into productive farm land.

In fact, nano clay technology draws inspiration from the natural fertility of the Nile delta that historically thrived due to annual floods depositing nutrient-rich clay. However, that annual top-up. stopped when Aswan Dam was constructed in 1970 across the Nile. Thus the Nile delta stopped flourishing. When the soil scientists and engineers had figured out this, they also found a solution to convert a desert into a farmland with the Nano clay technology. Actually it was Ole Sivertson, the chief executive of desert control of Norway developed it. According to Ole Sivertson,  the presence of clay in the right proportion can change the unproductive desert "from sand to hope".

Liquid Nano clay (LNC) is created when irrigation water and clay are mixed. The mixing is taken to the site and the LNC is spread onto sandy soil using traditional irrigation systems like  sprinklers or water wagons. The clay that is sprayed makes a 200-300 nano meter layer around each sand particle. The clay mimics organic matter in its functionality, helping soils retain water, and allowing the soil flora and fauna to gain foot hold. With in seven hours, crops can be planted there then. It costs nearly $2 (two dollars) per square metre and last for about five years, after that the clay needs a top up. Though it is now successfully practiced in UAE (United Arab Emirates), in the future, this can be used everywhere to transform, the unproductive land to farmland.

Biochar, the black Carbon produced from biomass sources is also there in the use to boost soil fertility and its ability to withstand drought. Vermiculite, a mineral, mined from rocks, which can retain water for long period too is doing its part in dry land cultivation. However, during Covid-19 lock down period, in UAE, Sivertson along with ICBA and Red Crescent team successfully cultivated 200kg watermelons, zucchini and millet in a 1000 sq metres trial plot by using nano clay.  Thus Rachel Lovell explores the theme of desert reclamation and agricultural innovation inspired by nano clay technology in "Nanoclay: The liquid turning desert to farmland"

----Thulasidharan V