COUNTER-DESERTIFICATION

by David Nuttle

Our global population of over eight billion is still on the increase with all resources on the decline, more armed conflicts, and disasters caused by global warming. There seems to be a general agreement that there must be a major effort to increase food security and green energy by growing crops on desert lands (1/3rd of all land) and utilizing crops that will help to achieve massive carbon sequestration. Such an effort would help to feed the 785 million people known to be living on the brink-of-starvation in or near desert lands. In addition, the armed conflicts in these areas, caused by prolonged food shortages and hunger, would be reduced. The Darfur Region of Sudan, where over 400,000 people were killed due to long sustained hunger issues, is an example of this latter problem.

Countries now working on counter-desertification include Israel, India, China, Australia, Chile, and several African nations, as well as the U. S. Most are using tree shelter belts to create desert micro-climates favorable for crop production. Israel has perfected efficient desalinization of sea water to provide fresh water for irrigation of trees and crops. China is using French Rex burrowing rabbits to aerate desert lands and create pockets to trap the very minimal rainfall over desert lands. By watering and feeding these rabbits, they have a new meat crop. In addition, China seeks to expand areas of a wild desert phytoplankton or algae, Facai, that grows on hot desert sands in a thick green mat. The Facai produces its own nitrogen and obtains needed water from the humidity in night skies over deserts.

My charity, NPI, has improved and expanded counter-desertification technologies and had them approved by USDA NRCS and UN FAO. As a result, NPI's said system has:

1) Innovative means to develop, conserve, and manage desert water resources sufficient to drip-irrigate desert crops.

2) Clearing, leveling, and terracing of desert lands as needed.

3) Planting of arid region trees to create shelter belts creating micro-climates favorable for desert crop production.

4) Use of natural and artificial ground covers & windbreaks to deter blowing of sands and help reduce wind damage to crops.

5) Addition of a small amount of clay particles & biochar inoculated w/ cultured soil microbes (to provide needed plant nutrients) to the root-zones of planned crop-rows.

6) Installation of subsurface micro-drip irrigation systems for crops.

7) Planting of arid region crops, in a symbiotic mix, for food, feed, forage, fiber, niche/ special, tree, green energy, and algal crops using NPI's tubal-algalcuture means to prevent evaporation and recycling of algal production water.

8) Creation of forage improvement areas, with stock water-tanks, for intensive, rotational grazing of livestock and wildlife displaced from crop production areas. Nguni cattle, Dorper hair sheep, and Rex rabbits are best producers in these areas.

9) Construction of solar powered & cooled, self-sustaining desert habitats to feed & rest desert work crews and security teams if needed.

N. B. Cash crops produced, by the above means, are Jojoba lipids from Jojoba shrub, algal lipids (for biofuels) and algal solids (for high protein food/ feed products) from algae, & myrrh resin from hybrid Myrrh trees. This resin has sold for about the same price as gold since Biblical times.

N. B. (a). NPI is perfecting franchise systems to make said technologies available, worldwide. Buyers of same are expected to be NGOs, foundations, and governments entities who then donate counter-desertification technology packages to poor desert farmers to help gain all the benefits of desert farming.

Selection of arid region trees and other plants for shelter belts should include flowers for desert pollinators, clump grass to block ground level winds, trees producing cash crops, and a mix of trees from low in height to tall. The grass and low growing trees should be in rows facing prevailing winds with the heights of following rows of trees going from low, to medium, to high in order to lift winds up and over. My favorites for creating said mix are: Mexican Feather grass, Apache Plume, California Poppy, Jojoba, Myrrh trees, Desert Willow, Palo Verde, Ironwood, and Mesquite. Mixing and matching will be needed depending upon what

plant materials are available.

With drip irrigation and biochar inoculated with cultured soil microbes (for nutrients) crops such as millets, sorghum, amaranth quinoa, chickpeas, corn, tepary beans, agave, cactus pear, olives, and dates should do well. A number of desert crops will also do well under such conditions; e. g. kale, garlic, okra, onions, turnips, & arid region tomatoes. Forage production is being used now to facilitate camel dairies. Algal production will allow Tilapia (algal eating) fish production if fish tanks are well shaded & protected from livestock and predators. More crop options may be possible from the ideas and experiments of creative desert farmers.

Deserts are alive with insects, reptiles, birds, small animals, and larger animals such as Oryx, Ibex, Addax, Pronghorn, and Gazelle along with assorted desert plants. Over time, all have adapted to the hot, dry, and sometimes windy conditions, and extremely little rainfall. To accelerate food production on deserts, it would be helpful to have breeding programs for the increase of the most promising larger animals such as the Oryx.