The Covid-19 pandemic has served as a wake-up call for the UAE, a nation that imports over 90 percent of its food. Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, stressed that the pandemic has become a catalyst in pushing the country to look at bolstering local food production, supporting agri-tech companies to increase local food supply and getting young people in the agriculture sector. The UAE is aiming to become the most food-secure nation by 2051 and most UAE farms are now adopting agricultural technology to increase domestic food production.
By building custom-integrated systems combining agriculture and aquaculture, farmers in the UAE have been able to drastically cut their water consumption, while increasing yields in comparison to conventional farms. Aquaponic systems are also simple to scale, capable of producing enough food for a family, a village or even a commercial enterprise.
Georg Czerny highlights the need for technology and innovation in agriculture. The managing director of Al Dahra BayWa, one of the largest suppliers of high-quality locally produced tomatoes in the UAE, said: “The need for technology and innovation has never been higher, especially at this time when food security is a very high priority considering our increasingly volatile climate systems. Climate change and the depletion of resources have led policy-makers and investors to turn to high-tech agriculture as a solution to the challenges they are facing. This is a welcome development, especially since controlled environment agriculture can deliver a stable supply of high-quality produce without harming the environment.”
Zawya.com reports that Al Dahra BayWa is joint venture between Abu Dhabi-based Al Dahra Agriculture LLC and Germany’s BayWa AG and develops and operates high-tech greenhouses.