In this testimonial video clip, Mohamed Tawfik Metwali, who tills his land in Kafr el-Sheikh, Egypt, explains the benefits he obtained from applying agricultural gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) to his land.
Mohamed tills 8 carats (1400 square meters) of land, cultivating cabbage, cauliflower and lettuce. He trialled the use of agricultural gypsum as a soil enhancer. Compared to traditional cultivation methods producing cabbages of 7 to 8 kilos, he proudly shows cabbages weighing around 15 kilos each. He explains that this is due to the fact that agricultural gypsum mitigates soil salinity stress and improves the soil structure, resulting in deeper root growth and higher yields.
He also trialled the use of agricultural gypsum to grow cauliflower. He shows us how in this instance, the agricultural gypsum enhanced the health of the green component (the cauliflower leaves) only.
This video clip testifies to the ongoing efforts of the Mara-Mediterra Living Lab in the Nile Delta, which is overseen by the Egyptian Chinese University (ECU), to use agro-ecological practices to tackle the increasing soil salinity in order to sustain the livelihoods of farmers in the Nile Delta.