In a world where the weather is getting hotter and more unstable, farmers face difficulties in maintaining their fresh plantations. A startup founded on the Saudi Arabia Desert believes to have a solution.
Its technology reduces temperatures within greenhouses in up to seven degrees Celsius without compromising the light input. This is possible thanks to a nanotechnics incorporated into plastic polymer blades, which blocks near infrared solar radiation. By decreasing heat within greenhouses, the company states that plantations can be cultivated with up to 30% less water and less need for mechanical cooling.
Called Secondsky, technology was developed by dery Baran, an associate professor of material science and engineering at the University of Science and Technology King Abdullah (Kaust).
The award -winning design has been quickly marketed and now has buyers in 15 countries through Iyris (previously Redsea), a company derived from research conducted at Kaust.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates were some of the first countries to adopt the technology, Iyris’s executive president told John Keppler to CNN. These nations, hot, dry and with few natural resources seek to reduce their dependence on imports of.
Since then, farmers from regions of the United States, Latin America, Mexico, Europe, South Africa and Morocco have begun to install Secondsky coverage. According to Keppler, these are countries that have historically benefited from favorable environmental conditions, but are now changing quickly: “It is not just about preparing for the future, but of protecting itself in the present “It’s like signing an insurance policy,” he said.
This year has everything to be the hottest in history, according to the copernicus climate change service in Europe. Extreme heat events have been felt in various parts of the world, becoming increasingly likely due to climate change caused by humans.
These conditions exert enormous pressure on agriculture. Heat waves can dry the plantationskilling them quickly if no measure is taken, or weakening them, making them more vulnerable to pests and diseases. Avoiding reducing agricultural production usually requires an increase in resource consumption – more water, more cooling, more fertilizers – that may be scarce or simply unavailable.
“The mission of this company is to enable sustainable agriculture, and we are advancing significantly against a very difficult challenge,” said John Keppler, Iyris executive president. “The faster we can provide easy implementation solutions for conventional agriculture, the better we will be.”
Iyris has integrated Secondsky technology into a flexible polyfilm, which can be used in agricultural tunnels, rigid greenhouses and shading nets.
According to Keppler, polyfilms are usually replaced from three to five years and can be easily changed. The company states that, unlike some traditional solutions to block heat, such as the application of white chalk in plastic films, its additive does not compromise the durability of the material.
Iyris has partnered with plastic manufacturers such as Sabic (Saudi Arabia), Hyma Plastic (Egypt) and Armando Álvarez (Spain) to produce and distribute roofs containing its heat blocker additive. To date, 4.5 million square meters have been sold of these materials.
Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture
Vincent Martin, director of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Innovation Office (FAO), told CNN by e-mail that “several agricultural technology startups have emerged in recent years to face regional challenges in food production, especially investing in protected agriculture. ”
These companies are adapting to the reality of extreme heat through innovations in more resistant cultures, controlled environments, intelligent irrigation and renewable energies. However, Martin points out that expanding these solutions to small farmers and overcoming cost barriers are crucial challenges for a broader adaptation.
“Continuous investment in research, infrastructure, public policies and farmers’ education will be essential,” he added.
Local solutions for sustainable cultivation
Although Iyris is eyeing the global market – having raised $ 16 million (approximately $ 91.1 million) in a Series A financing round earlier this year – Secondsky technology is also helping to redefine what is possible in agriculture within the country itself.
In Saudi Arabia, the National Food Production Initiative, a partnership between Iyris and the Red Sea Global Regenerative Tourism Developer, created a 0.75 hectare farm on an unproductive terrain in Bada, northwest of the country. The region is a subtropical desert, where temperatures in summer reach almost 40 ° C.
The project, announced in October, is integrating several local agricultural solutions, including Secondsky, to cultivate tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and herbs, which will be supplied to Red Sea Global resorts.
“We are proving these incredibly innovative results in the most hostile environment in the world,” said John Keppler.
The farm in Bada has already aroused the interest of a local cooperative, which is exploring the possibility of replicating the model, he added.
Desertification and the future of agriculture
The use of unproductive lands and the prevention of soil degradation will be increasingly urgent issues over the century. Desertification was one of the central themes of COP16 of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December, where global leaders discussed ways to contain this growing problem.
According to the UN, at least 100 million hectares of fertile land are lost every year – the equivalent of four healthy soil soccer fields becoming degraded every second.
In Saudi Arabia, for example, less than 1% of the territory is considered arable. In addition, water demand for agriculture can be up to three times higher than the global average. Underground aquifers, an essential source of water for cultivation, are running out rapidly, being extracted at a pace higher than its natural replacement.
Agritech as a solution for desertification
Vincent Martin of FAO points out that agricultural technology and sustainable practices can play a crucial role in the mitigation or reversal of desertification. This can be done through sustainable soil management, innovation in water capture and use, more resistant crop development and soil restoration techniques.
He also points out that the partial transition from open -air cultivation to protected agriculture can generate significant water economy. In hot climates, greenhouses are particularly effective in mitigating the impacts of climate change as producers control factors such as temperature and moisture.
“Greenhouse can provide up to five times more productivity by area and seven times more efficiency in water use compared to traditional open field cultivation,” said Martin.
Preserve natural resources and reduce the need for transform marginal lands into cultivable lands are essential goals for sustainable agriculture.
“What we need to do is create an environment where environmental stresses are reduced, allowing these lands to be used,” said Keppler. “And that’s exactly what products like Secondsky do.”
With increased sales and plans to expand the application of Secondsky in an even larger product range from 2025, Iyris expects to keep fresh greenhouses around the world also helps us fight heat outside.
