Water shortage and the incapacity to grow food due to environmental conditions are two basic causes of worldwide poverty. Over 1.2 billion people do not have access to safe water supplies and the number is growing. Seawater Greenhouses can help to redress these inequalities.

Rainfall remains fairly constant but the need for water has doubled over the last 20 years and continues to grow.  Rising population levels are causing the use of fresh water to exceed renewable supply. The depletion of ground water is accelerated as a consequence.

Agriculture uses the most fresh water, approximately 70% worldwide. This percentage is often higher in regions that suffer from chronic water shortages. In North Africa, up to 90% of available water is used in agriculture. These unsustainable, yet widespread activities have accelerated  land degradation on a large scale. The effects are largely irreversible, as it takes roughly 500 years for one inch of top soil to form.

The Seawater Greenhouse makes efficient use of abundant resources – seawater, sun, and degraded land – to produce fresh water, high-quality crops and a restored landscape.