Dr. Hodges Speaks at World Bank Headquarters

The World Bank, supported by 184 member nations, is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. The Bank’s mission is to reduce global poverty and improve living standards throughout the world by providing low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.

The Seawater Foundation’s work with the Bank’s BioCarbon Fund sparked an interest within the Bank’s Latin American and Caribbean Division, prompting them to invite Dr. Carl Hodges to speak to them and their guests, including representatives from the Smithsonian Institute, the Inter-American Foundation and the International Finance Corporation on November 28th.

Dr. Hodges took this opportunity to share the basic components of Seawater Farms Bahía Kino (SFBK) and how those components will positively impact both the environment and the economic future of Sonora, Mexico.

The first phase of SFBK includes 1000 hectares of mangrove forest, 2000 hectares of salicornia, a halophyte (salt tolerant) plant, and 500 hectares of aquaculture production including caged tilapia fish, bivalve and seaweed cultivation areas. The remaining hectares of SFBK will be developed into a wetland area which will support a rich variety of bird, plant and animal life.

Dr. Hodges focused on the significant environmental benefit of reversing the flow of shrimp farm effluent water away from the Gulf of California and using it as a nutrient laden source of irrigation for the entire Farm.  He also addressed the mangrove forest’s ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the form of carbon in the tree root structure.