Growing in Dry Climates

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL NEEDS

Growing in Dry Climates

Making sandy soils fertile for agriculture and reducing their water requirements

Project Description

Industry

Agriculture

Startup

Edama

Contact

info@edamasolutions.com

Problem

Plant cultivation in desert environments, like Saudi Arabia, is very challenging. Vast amounts of water are needed to grow crops. Sandy soils are also prone to erosion and subpar crop yields – and make green agriculture projects challenging.

Market Opportunity

Agriculture in Saudi Arabia is growing at over 4% a year. Expanding this market further will require innovative solutions. Reducing the costs to create fertile soil and limiting the use of water will enable cost-effective growth for Saudi agriculture.

Solution

KAUST startup Edama Organic Solutions is restoring local sandy soils by turning organic waste into valuable soil improvers. These soil improvers make sandy soils much more fertile and improve water infiltration and retention. These combine to reduce water irrigation needs by 75% and dramatically increase crop yield and plant performance.

The Future

Edama’s soil improvers contain microorganisms that suppress pests and diseases. They also contain rich nutrients like phosphate, potash, and magnesium, reducing the need for adding other fertilizers into the soil. These soil improvers also make soils more resilient to erosion caused by droughts or floods.

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPLY OF ESSENTIAL NEEDS