'Seawater Greenhouse' Greening Namibia's Desert
There is new technology in the market, called ‘Seawater Greenhouse’.
A seawater greenhouse is a greenhouse structure that enables the growth of crops in arid regions, using seawater and solar energy. The technique involves pumping seawater to an arid location and then subjecting it to two processes: first, it is used to humidify and cool the air, and second it is evaporated by solar heating and distilled to produce fresh water.
Namibia lies in the second driest area in Africa after the Sahara and is the most arid country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Travellers often refer to Namibia as an “arid Eden”.
This vast desert and semi-arid landscape attracts many tourists every year, yet poses hardship for the population. Scarcity of freshwater is a constant threat to the daily lives and survival of farmers and industries, in both rural and urban areas.
Werner Bayer