This Moroccan startup is growing crops in the desert

Climate change means desertification is a growing problem, with 250 million people directly impacted by the degradation of formerly fertile land.

The issue affects a third of the Earth's land surface, according to the United Nations, parching parts of Africa, South America, southern Europe, China and a third of US soil. Reclaiming arid land and turning it back into agricultural fields could be key to ensuring we are able to feed the planet's population.

Sand to Green is a Moroccan startup that can transform a patch of desert into a sustainable and profitable plantation in five years, according to Wissal Ben Moussa, its co-founder and chief agricultural officer.

"Desertification is the future of a lot of countries today," she says. "Our solution is using agroforestry to create a new kind of agriculture that is sustainable and that can be resilient in front of climate change."

The system can be deployed anywhere near a source of brackish water, which Sand to Green desalinates using solar-powered technology. It then plants a variety of fruit-producing trees and herbs in the same space - a practice known as intercropping - and drip-irrigates their roots directly with the desalinated water, to minimize evaporation.

The soil is regenerated using what Sand to Green calls "green manure," a mixture that includes compost, biochar and microorganisms that help the soil "wake up," according to Ben Moussa. Biochar is a form of charcoal that can help arid soils retain water.

This allows some herbs to be ready for harvest after just two years.