Driven by a long-standing desire for justice, American biologist Gordon Sato is spending his retirement helping some of the world’s poorest people, in Eritrea, to help themselves. His innovative Manzanar project harnesses two of the Eritrean coast’s most abundant resources — intense sunlight and seawater — to grow mangrove plants that can be used not only to feed animals, but also to provide a habitat for fish and shellfish. His aim is to help impoverished, coastal communities in this war-torn country to develop a low-tech, sustainable agricultural economy.
percentage of Eritrea's coastline where mangroves grow
mangrove seedlings grown by the Manzanar project in 2001
number of mangroves Gordon and his team planted in 10 months
people the Manzanar project could potentially feed by providing fodder to raise animals
