C4A

C4A, which stands for “Crops 4 All”, is a solution that combines ancient irrigation technology with simple physics to make growing crops suitable in hyper-arid regions around the world.

Statistics:

There are several regions around that world that suffer from little to no rainfall. Specifically within hyper-arid areas, the population suffers from lack of harvest in crop. Examples of these areas include the country of Namibia (Africa) and the Atacama Desert in northern Chile (South America). According to the Namibia Trade Directory, only 2% of the country receives enough rainfall to cultivate sufficient crops. This may be why the agricultural sector was responsible for less than 10% of GDP earned in the country. Farming is not a big industry there as the conditions are not ideal for growing crops, and desert soil, in general, lacks necessary nutrients to cultivate most of them. Desert soil often lacks an appropriate amount of organic matter (1% or lower). It also does not have a healthy pH level for most plants to grow in as it is often above a pH level of 7, meaning that it is alkaline. The UN estimates around 101, 336 people live in desert areas, making up about 1.7% of the global population. Another major contributor that is, and will, add to this problem of low crop cultivation is global warming. The definition provided by NASA states that it is the long-term heating of the Earth's surface observed since the pre-industrial period due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth's atmosphere. The heat can make it even more difficult for crops to grow. However, fertilised soil is useless without a proper irrigation system, and deserts are specifically known for having very little rainfall. For example, the Atacama Desert receives only 15 mm of rain per year, and is known to be the driest place on Earth. The Sahara Desert gets less than 100 mm per year, and in the much drier places in the southwest and coastal areas of Namibia, rainfall per year is less than 50 mm. Brazil has one of the most ideal climates for crop cultivation, making it the reason that it is one of the world’s largest food producers. Brazil gets around 1000-1800 mm of rain per year, a much greater value than any hyper-arid region receives. Due to lack of precipitation, desert dwellers rely on aquifers, which are porous rock or sediment saturated with water. C4A uses this source of water, while making sure not to deplete so much as to take away from the population’s source of drinking water as well.

In conclusion:

The main problem is the harsh climate of the desert preventing crop cultivation. The two contributing factors are poor soil, and very low precipitation per annum. Therefore, the solution will involve the fertilisation of desert soil and use of technology (both ancient and modern) to sufficiently irrigate crops in the most effective and efficient way possible.

C4A uses two types of technology to help in irrigation. Before these technologies are implemented, it is crucial to make the desert soil fertile enough for other crops to grow. The desert soil will have to go through a process where several ingredients are added. Pyrogenic carbon is incompletely burnt organic matter such as charcoal, which can be used to increase the percentage of organic matter in the soil. In order to lower the pH level, fertilisers containing aluminium sulfate will be used. Final steps for prepping the soil would include depollution to reduce contaminants, as well as adding clay to increase the soil’s ability to hold onto nutrients. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are added for further fertilisation. After preparation, the soil is ready for irrigation. The ancient irrigation technology used in Middle Eastern countries(e.g Oman) that is most effective for arid climates is known as “Qanat”, which makes use of underground aquifers. The mother well is the main source of water for the qanat channel, where water flows through. An access shaft is built for construction and maintenance of the channel. At the end of the channel, there will be water outflow into the soil in which crops are planted. The outflow of water and soil will be within a glass dome (with a door to access crops). Four solar powered greenhouse air conditioners will be installed within the structure to promote air circulation and to keep the dome below the dew point.This will reduce the amount of fresh water needed since a substantial amount of condensation will occur within the dome. These air conditioners will not be needed through the night as the climate does not help with condensation. The condensed water can be reused by the crops, minimising water usage and optimising it for desert(hyper-arid) climates. 

C4A is meant to serve the population living in desert areas(101,336) with poor soil, where there is only a small pool of crop that can be farmed. People living in the desert suffer from a lack of several crops or at least high quality harvests of these crops. They are also underserved in lack of sufficient nutrition. Due to the very slim choices of crop that are able to grow in such harsh climate, most that promote health and can help extend lifespan are unable to be cultivated. Examples of these crops include kale and blueberries. On top of this, the crops that are already being cultivated have low nutrition levels due to lack of nutrients in the desert soil.  This can lead to malnutrition among the desert dwelling population, lowering average lifespan. An example is Sub-Saharan Africa, where life expectancy is only 61 years. This is a startling two decades behind the United Kingdom, where the average life expectancy is about 81 years. Compared to other countries in Africa, the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have higher percentages of under weight and stunted children, as well as lower intakes of energy, fat and protein. C4A solves this by first fertilising the desert soil to make sure nutritional content of the crops grown are improved, then using technology to irrigate these crops on a minimal amount of water. This would reduce the percentage of underweight population in deserts, as well as related health complications through optimising crop yields in hyper-arid climates. 

There are no other team members working on this concept and I, unfortunately, have not gotten an opportunity  to travel to these deserts, or gain any experience in irrigation technology. However, I feel like I am in a position to understand at least a fraction of their plight. When I was 13, my family and I moved from the United States (Houston, one of the largest cities in the U.S) to a small town in India. Among the several culture shocks I received during my transition, I noticed that fruits and vegetables in America were of much better quality than in my town(Pollachi). The crops grown and sold went in and out of season very quickly, resulting in poor harvests to be sold. For example, compared to normal healthy cucumbers, a lot of the cucumbers sold in my town were small and very dry, with next to no moisture content. I think it’s safe to say that these also contain very little nutritional value. I realise that those who live in very harsh desert climates suffer from this problem on a much larger and more severe scale than I do. Their quality of life is greatly affected by this matter and I feel like my experience, however small, is able to help me understand how difficult the problem can be on a larger level. I want to help the people who are suffering from malnutrition by providing methods to cultivate better crops, so I can impact their lives in a meaningful way.

All of my data has been collected through secondary research as primary research is more difficult for me to collect without direct travel or connection to people living in those regions, as those who live in very dry deserts make up less than 2% of the population. However, to collect my secondary data on the needs of the population, I have referred to dietary and health reports made in reference to Sub-Saharan African countries, as well as  lists of crops that need to be cultivated that can help promote good health. I have also looked at UN reports of statistics related to population within hyper-arid ares, and several methods of soil fertilisation to help the population’s health problems, although this is not the technological aspect of my solution.

C4A utilises already existing technologies(both ancient and modern) by combining them to create a more effective method of irrigation for crops in hyper-arid conditions. That is, it acts as a new and improved version of an ancient form of irrigation(Qanat) that has been around for centuries. Through creating a cooler environment for the already irrigated crops, the crops will condense more water than they would have if they were in a hotter climate. A hotter climate would make the plants retain as much water as possible. The condensed water is then reused by the plants, making it more efficient by reusing the most amount of water possible, and minimising fresh water usage. The goal is to produce a healthier and better variety of crops, and this can be done through soil fertilisation. However, lack of appropriate irrigation can result in poor harvests, despite the fertilised soil. As water is the most limited resource in deserts, this is where different systems have been implemented to help maximise benefits of any existing water. I expect C4A to significantly improve irrigation, and make the concept of large amounts of crop cultivation more plausible in desert regions. 

Although the C4A units were specifically developed to solve the problem of growing crops in harsh desert climates, which is an important environmental problem, I hope that the consequences of C4A will be able to positively impact the population's health and economy as well. 

Short-Term Impact Goals:

• The crops cultivated will have enough nutritional value to reduce the percentage of underweight and stunted children, child mortality, and cases of malnutrition (e.g scurvy & kwashiorkor) in hyper-arid regions. 
• Increased nutritional value can also contribute to a longer life span. 
• The implementation of C4A units will provide more employment opportunities for construction workers, green energy specialists, soil scientists, etc.. 
• A healthier population can lead to a larger, more robust, and therefore more productive labor force.

Long-Term Impact Goals:

• A more productive labor force will eventually lead to economic growth and development, which can improve the living standards of the population.
• Over time, once the population has gotten used to utilising C4A for growing large batches of crops, it can start exporting some of its harvests to other countries. The country can use these exports to their advantage by improving their terms of trade and potentially reducing trade deficits.

Qanat Irrigation system: It is a pipe system that uses underground aquifers to irrigate crops (and to also provide drinking water). It is normally set on elevated ground, while the water flows through a straight channel to lower ground. These pipes are actually still in use in Iran, a middle eastern country that has very dry conditions. The first part of the system is a large pipe called the mother well, which takes water from its original source. The water then flows through the qanat channel, which is a straight pipe that opens into crop fields, where it outflows into the crop area. 

Solar powered air conditioners: The air conditioners are specialized for both greenhouses and the desert. This is because it provides ventilation for the crops to breathe, since it encourages air circulation. It is also optimized for the desert because it can stay running everyday through the mornings and afternoon due to the bright sun. Condensation will most likely not occur as desert nights can be very cool, which affects the process. As mentioned previously in my solution description, it helps keep the environment cool enough for plants to condense enough water to reabsorb. 

Although I haven't launched my solution, I have mapped out the areas where I would want C4A to be launched next year. As this will be a relatively new concept, it will take time to globalize it, meaning that I will have to start in a concentrated area within a single continent. I believe that it will be most effective in Sub-Saharan countries in Africa as these are in a very concentrated area with severe conditions. I would like to start out with two countries: Northern Burkina Faso (Sahelian Zone) & Southwest Botswana. 

Not only are these two countries Sub-Saharan, but these specific zones have the least rainfall. Launching C4A would have a much larger impact on the population living in these areas. The population numbers that will be affected are:

• Burkina Faso- 1,094, 907 
• Botswana- 100,000

These numbers are both respective to their regions. This means that almost 1.2 million people will be positively impacted within the first year! 

I have not partnered with any organizations. However I would like to mention that if given the opportunity, I would partner with the Planetary Health Alliance. This is because they share similar goals with what C4A is meant to achieve. They study how Earth's changing environment can impact human health, which covers both environmental and health issues. Securing such a partnership would help C4A thrive and be recognized in the world of science as an effective method of irrigation. 

C4A plans to be an irrigation service company. Ideally, our customers would be the government (if they specially ask us to set up in a region) and farmers, who can hire us to set up the unit in a nearby location of their choice. Since the people that live in very dry desert areas are local, or in extreme cases, nomads, they are less likely to respond to commercialized advertising. Attracting customers would be achieved through in-person advertising and campaigns in areas that have a large number of farmers that are in need of irrigation for their crops. For more isolated farmers, we would have a C4A sales associate explain and propose the service to the farmer. Using this sales method can create a larger impact through targeting specific farming areas, since it can reach a wider audience and potentially be networked through the agriculture industry. Those that are devoid of water for irrigation will be more willing to try planting through the C4A irrigation system. What the farmers will be pitched is the following:

1. A nearby underground aquifer is identified for effective irrigation. 
2. A specialized soil scientist will take a look at the farmer's soil and evaluate how it can best be fertilized. 
3. A specific amount of desert soil is taken to the C4A main soil department to be specially fertilized, and is stored in optimal conditions to maintain its fertilized state.
4. Over the next month or so, construction workers, technicians and developers will install the irrigation pipes, fix the solar power panels and greenhouse air conditioners, and construct the glass dome. 
5. The fertilized soil is then spread within the glass dome.
6. C4A provides free maintenance, repair and re-fertilization. 
7. In return for free maintenance and the service done, the farmer must pay C4A a 5%-10% royalty on each batch of crops (grown in the unit) sold per month. The specific value of royalty will be determined based on the farmer's average monthly income.

Since C4A also wants to provide social benefits for low-income farmers, for specific areas, we may approach the government ourselves to secure a permit for setting up in that region, instead of charging royalty from the farmers themselves.

Similar to the solution itself, C4A's path to financial stability utilizes several methods of funding. C4A is, in the bottom line, an irrigation service industry. When the government approaches the company or we approach it, we strive to gain most of our funding through service contracts(FAR contracts) for the government, where they fund our work for specific areas they may want us to set up in. In other cases, the government may present us with a service contract as well. Another way we would gain finance is through government grants. We would utilize this in the unique case of C4A wanting to set up in a specific area with very low income farmers. Although royalty will not initially be charged on these farmers' revenue made from sold harvest, if their income grows due to more good crops being harvested from the C4A unit, a small percentage may be charged. This may be susceptible to increase or decrease depending on fluctuation in the farmers' average monthly income. This change in royalty percentage is applicable for all farmers who utilize C4A systems. 

In cases where the business needs short-term finance, crowd-funding will be utilized through the C4A website. Although it is not set up currently, it will be when all resources and staff are available to work. Crowd-funding is when small donations made by a large number of people sum up to great amounts of money. The campaigns may be changed to add this information depending on C4A's financial state. Since the population in these desert areas can sum up to be pretty high, it is a viable source of funding in special cases.

In conclusion: The overall sum of money gained through the financial methods listed below is expected to cover a majority of C4A expenses. The two main expenses we will most likely suffer from are employment expenses as well as permit expenses. Most of our funding will be through service contracts proposed by the government, specifically FAR contracts, where they provide us with workers if there is shortage in labor or if wages are too high. In cases where we are personally hired by farmers, we would charge a royalty which may vary over time. If we especially want to set up in an area with very low income farmers, we will secure government grants. Royalty may be charged on these farmers if there is a substantial increase in income. In future cases of financial difficulty, assuming that C4A has gained a reputation as a very good irrigation service, crowd-funding would be used to gain short-term finance to maintain ongoing projects.