From sand to soil in 7 hours

Desert Control has developed Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) a nanoclay based innovation to improve water holding capacity and productivity of sandy soils to support adaptive climate-smart agriculture in the UAE.

The problem to solve:

Less than 15% of irrigation water remains available to support plants and crops. Most of the water is lost to deep drainage and run-off.

Improving the organic matter in sandy and degraded soil starts by improving the soil's water holding capacity to avoid fertilizers, manure, compost, other soil amendments, and organic matter to be washed out of the soil.

The soil's ability to retain water is the foundation for regenerating its vital life and for sustainable prosperity.

Benefits of LNC

Some of our UAE reference results and water saving impact:

Pilots have mainly utilized soil moisture based irrigation and compare water consumption required to maintain equal soil moisture at levels required to maintain plant growth for an LNC treated area versus a comparable control area. Water savings in the below table represent the stable state over time after irrigation levels are adjusted according to the impact of the LNC.

LNC is also effective for large-scale open-field agriculture and crops like alfalfa, panicum, sorghum, wheat, barley, etc.

In addition to water savings, LNC treated areas have further shown 17-62% higher yields, significant reduction of soil salinity, increased tolerance to using of varying water qualities, and improved soil health, which fosters optimal carbon sequestration. Reducing water consumption lowers operational costs, electricity use, and the strain on wells, pumps, irrigation and drainage systems, etc. Further, when using less water, there will be less leaching of fertilizers, and nutrients and organic matter remain in the topsoil to be fully utilized by crops and plants.

*ICBA - International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture

How to buy -  how it works

Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) is delivered as a service, and farmers can order soil treatments for land areas and specific vegetation, trees, and crops. LNC is produced on-site using mobile processing units (20-ft container units as seen in the picture above) brought to the farm by our team. A professional Mawarid Desert Control service delivery team will manage the application of LNC to the farm's soil and land areas. LNC can be sprayed directly onto the surface of the land, be injected, or applied through irrigation systems. The liquid is nearly as thin as water and causes no harm to irrigation systems, drip lines, valves, emitters, etc. 

SPRAY -> SAVE -> GROW

• LNC is sprayed onto land and farming areas or applied via irrigation systems.
• LNC percolates into the ground by the force of gravity to treat the soil around the root-zone of the crops (vegetables, fruits, berries, trees, grasses, or other plants) forming a soil structure that retains water and nutrients just like a sponge.
• The process is a one-time application (shown to last for 3-5 years before a smaller top-up treatment may be required).
• LNC can be applied to land areas already under cultivation without damaging established crops and vegetation.
• New land areas treated with LNC can be planted within 7 hours of application - water savings take effect immediately.

Contact us for pricing and more details about LNC in the UAE

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Adaptive nature-based innovation for soil health in the UAE

Soil is like a bank account; it requires a balance between deposits and withdrawals to remain healthy. Living on credit will only postpone reality for a limited amount of time. We need hyper-disruptive innovations to enable adaptive desert agriculture, increase the productivity of farming land and make water and natural resources reach further and last longer. Growing crops sustainably in sandy soil using less fertilizers and water and making arid land fertile will foster the prosperity of life on earth!

LNC featured in CNN Think Big

Saving land from degradation has been one of the pillars of the UAE's approach to protecting the environment, preserving natural resources, and advancing sustainable development since the country's inception in 1971.

"Healthy soil, water, food, and a stable climate is the pathway to peace and prosperity for people and planet."

– Ole Kristian Sivertsen, President and Group CEO, Desert Control