That means building futuristic structures that use wastewater and solar power to produce hydroponic (grown in a nutrient-rich water, without soil) and aeroponic (grown in water-saturated air) crops.

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The concept: When crops are planted without tilling, the soil holds more carbon, which means less goes up into the atmosphere.

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On tiny plots, and often poor-quality soil, without modern equipment or farming methods, and sometimes beset by land disputes, many peasant farmers struggle to feed their family and grow just a little extra to sell in the village market.

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Without formally pledging to defend Albania's soil, the alliance could help Albania's own border-monitoring efforts through aerial surveillance.

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Once, he recalls, an environmental inspector claimed that AES had stored rock and soil it had removed from its mine without proper authorization.

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It looked at vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and spring onions which were grown close to or in contact with the soil and which were sold to be consumed without any further cooking or preparation other than light washing or scraping.

BBC: Carrots

It added that the Italian president "hoped to provide a solution to an affair considered by the United States to be without precedent because of the conviction of a US military officer of Nato for deeds committed on Italian soil".

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