The tiny clay particles that help plants grow in the sand

In 10 seconds? Scientists have turned desert sand into farmland by putting into practice a discovery about ‘liquid nanoclay’. According to research ‘clay nano flakes’ have dramatically improved the nutrient content of sandy soils and cut in half the amount of water needed for irrigation.

Why is this significant? More than 1.5 billion people worldwide directly depend on lands that are slowly being degraded by desertification. About 12 million hectares of arable land are lost to erosion each year, and it is estimated that land degradation in the next 25 years has the potential to reduce global food production by up to 12%, leading to economic damage of $42 billion each year.