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Seawater and solar power grow crops in the desert

By Daisy Carrington, for CNN

Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT) July 22, 2013

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Joakim Hauge says skeptics have been won over after seeing the produce, like with these cucumbers.
Photos: Greening the desert
Green growth – Joakim Hauge says skeptics have been won over after seeing the produce, like with these cucumbers.
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A worker collects the first barley harvested at the facility.
Photos: Greening the desert
Securing food – A worker collects the first barley harvested at the facility.
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The violet plant, Limonium axillare, takes salt up from the soil and excretes it through its leaves, a process that could be used to desalinate soil.
Photos: Greening the desert
Desert bloom – The violet plant, Limonium axillare, takes salt up from the soil and excretes it through its leaves, a process that could be used to desalinate soil.
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The facility uses concentrated solar power plant, which is a system that focuses sunlight onto a small area with mirrors.
Photos: Greening the desert
Hope beacon – The facility uses concentrated solar power plant, which is a system that focuses sunlight onto a small area with mirrors.
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Virginia Corless, the science and development manager, working in the greenhouse. She says Qatar's environment acts as a harsh testing ground for the technologies.
Photos: Greening the desert
Transplanting nature – Virginia Corless, the science and development manager, working in the greenhouse. She says Qatar's environment acts as a harsh testing ground for the technologies.
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With the algae pond, researchers are finding ways to cultivate the organisms without the usual high costs and geographic constraints.
Photos: Greening the desert
Liquid assets – With the algae pond, researchers are finding ways to cultivate the organisms without the usual high costs and geographic constraints.
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The design of the project is to have several technologies working together to address many issues at once.
Photos: Greening the desert
Model system – The design of the project is to have several technologies working together to address many issues at once.
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Story highlights

  • Sahara Forest Project in Qatar implements a range of cutting-edge green technologies that all work together
  • The system includes seawater greenhouses, concentrated solar power and algae production
  • The goal is to produce food and other vegetation, as well as desalinated water
  • The project has elicited enthusiasm but also skepticism over whether it is a good use of resources
In the scorching desert of Qatar, scientists are showing that saltwater can be used to help grow crops.
A one hectare research initiative known as the Sahara Forest Project -- modest in size, but not in ambition -- has produced a harvest of barley, cucumbers and arugula in the last few months using a mix of ingredients not usually associated with successful agriculture: seawater and Qatar's ample supply of heat.
Conceived in Norway, the first-ever Sahara Forest Project facility launched last November to coincide with the United Nations Climate Conference e(COP18) in Doha. It implements a range of cutting-edge environmentally-friendly technologies that takes the things that Qatar has in excess -- heat and seawater -- and converts them into a range of valuable resources.