‘From a garnish to a side dish’: Saline agriculture searches for scale

Saline agriculture, which uses salt-tolerant crops and technologies to combat soil and water salinisation, faces commercial rather than technical barriers to scaling, according to research from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Despite scientific progress and operational capabilities, weak demand, fragmented value chains, and limited market awareness hinder broader adoption and investment. The industry is split between halophyte producers targeting niche markets and enablers developing salt-tolerant solutions for mainstream agriculture, with both groups struggling to establish a unified value proposition. Integration with existing agricultural supply chains and coordinated commercial support are seen as the most promising paths to growth, as the alternative for many affected farmers is abandoning farming altogether.