Why cant you use saltwater if there is a shortage of freshwater?

Saltwater cannot be used for drinking or agriculture because its high salt content can be harmful to human health and detrimental to crops. Desalination processes exist to convert saltwater into freshwater, but they are energy-intensive, expensive, and not widely accessible. Additionally, using saltwater directly can lead to soil salinization, which degrades land and reduces agricultural productivity. Therefore, relying on saltwater as an alternative to freshwater in times of shortage is not feasible without significant technological and economic support.