Feeding a fifth of the global population isn't easy for China, especially with under 10 percent of the planet's arable land. Unfortunately, not all land is suitable for cultivation. China has one tenth of the world's total saline-alkali land. These are arid soils too harsh even for the toughest crops to grow. Agricultural experts are now tapping into desolate soils in China's great northwest and unleashing their potential to boost yields and ensure food security.