Climate Change > Turning Deserts into Farmland - Norway is leading the way

Each hectare of land recovered from the desert will help cool the earth as the sun's energy goes into the plants rather than reflecting back into the atmosphere. Although I'm concerned that one good sandstorm could undo years of work.

Would it be safe to say that it took the rest of the world 150 years to duplicate what they were doing in Jewish kibbutzes in the 19th century?

Unwaste The Planet

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A Norwegian company is making headlines with a revolutionary technology that transforms dry desert sand into fertile soil within just seven hours. Their “Liquid NanoClay” binds sand particles with natural clay, improving water retention and enabling plant growth.

This technique has been tested in the Middle East and Africa, showing significant increases in crop yields while using 50% less water. With growing concerns over food insecurity and climate change, this technology offers a practical solution for desert farming.

Imagine turning the Sahara or other arid regions into lush, productive farmland—this innovation brings that vision closer to reality.

Sources: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, FAO. 

Thearsa Crane

Norway, through its companies and initiatives, is actively involved in projects that transform desert and degraded lands in various parts of the world into fertile areas for agriculture and vegetation.

Specifically, the following deserts are being transformed or are the target of transformation projects:

Middle East:

United Arab Emirates: Desert Control, a Norwegian company, has successfully used its Liquid Nanoclay (LNC) technology to cultivate crops like watermelon, pearl millet, and zucchini in the desert near Dubai. This technology has also been tested with positive results near Abu Dhabi, where it showed significant increases in carrot and cauliflower yields.

Qatar: The Sahara Forest Project (SFP), a Norwegian company, has been developing and testing its technology to combine solar thermal energy with saltwater evaporation techniques to produce freshwater and cultivate crops in the deserts of Qatar and Jordan.

Jordan: The Sahara Forest Project (SFP) is also working in the deserts of Jordan to transform them into farmland using a combination of solar thermal technologies and saltwater evaporation techniques.

Africa:

Egypt: Field tests using LNC technology have been conducted in Egypt, resulting in a four-fold increase in wheat yield.

Other areas in Africa: The LNC technology has been tested in other areas in Africa as well. Additionally, Norway has partnered with various African countries, including Ethiopia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, through its International Climate and Forest Initiative

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