Saline Farming Offers a Sustainable Way to Revive Salt-Damaged Soils

Rising salt levels in soil and water are destroying farmland worldwide, with 16.6 million square kilometers now salt-affected — an area roughly the size of South America Saline agriculture offers a powerful solution by using salt-tolerant crops, smart irrigation, and natural soil restoration methods to turn degraded land back into productive farmland Research shows countries like China, India, Pakistan, Argentina, and the U.S. have millions of acres suitable for saline farming, which could help feed hundreds of millions of people without relying on scarce freshwater Techniques such as gypsum treatment, drip irrigation, and phytoremediation — using plants themselves to absorb and redistribute salt — is helping restore soil fertility and protect food supplies These same principles apply beyond farms; by managing salt, adding organic matter, and choosing resilient plants, even home gardeners can help revive soil health and contribute to global food resilience