First, It's a Global Issue
Salt-affected Soils
According to the FAO’s 2024 global assessment, nearly 1.4 billion hectares (1,381 million ha) of land—about 10.7% of the total global land area—are already impacted by salinity. This includes both natural (primary) and human-induced (secondary) salinization.
Additionally, about 10% of all irrigated and rain-fed cropland globally is affected by salinity, with the risk area expected to increase further due to climate change and mismanagement.
Fertilizer-related soil pollution
The countries with the highest excess nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from fertilizers are China (one-third of global nitrogen pollution), India (18%), and the USA (11%), followed by Pakistan and Brazil1.
Globally, over half of the phosphorus applied to farmland is lost to the environment, and millions of tonnes of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers contribute to widespread soil and water pollution every year.
Irrigated Land
About 20% of the world’s irrigated soils are salinized, with even higher
rates (over 30%) in countries like Egypt, Iran, and Argentina.
Global Area Affected
+1.4B
Hectares of Land
(+3.5B Acres)
All-types of salt-affected soils. That's roughly 10.7% of land!
+77M
Hectares of Land
(+190M Acres)
Human-induced Salinity (Secondary)
+20%
of all irrigated land.
Irrigated soils are salinized
+10%
of irrigated land & cropland
All cropland affected by salinity
Global Dead Zones
Image: UN Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission GO2NE working group
Key Points
The problem is most severe in arid and semi-arid regions, but also affects coastal areas and intensively farmed regions worldwide. (Source)
The top 10 countries (including China, the USA, India, Australia, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Sudan, and Uzbekistan) account for about 70% of the world’s salt-affected soils. (Source)
Excess fertilizer use also drives soil acidification, nutrient imbalance, and biodiversity loss on a global scale. (Source)
Where Do We Go From Here?
Globally, over 1.3 billion hectares of land—more than 10% of the world’s land area—are already affected by soil salinization, with a similar scale of land impacted by nutrient pollution from excessive fertilizer use. These issues threaten food security and environmental sustainability worldwide.
We can, however, start with saving America's Greatest River :
The Mississippi River
⬇️
Saving Mississippi River Plan
The total area polluted by chemical fertilizers along the Mississippi Basin is close to 300 million acres : that's 5.9 times the size of Minnesota, 2.9 times the size of California, and 1.7 times the size of Texas.
We want to act quickly to work with Universities, U.S. Government entities, and Farmers Associations to distribute our products.
With thorough Research and Field Testing, we will implement our plans by starting in the most severely affected states, then extending to other affected states, and lastly extending globally.
We CAN reverse the Dead Zones in the Mississippi River, and ultimately, globally.