Timeframe: Cultivating a culture of crop growth in Abu Dhabi in 1969

New technology sees us growing strawberries in shipping containers in Dubai, but in 1969, a different technique was introduced in Abu Dhabi

In 1966, Sheikh Zayed sent three Abu Dhabi students - Hamad Al Mazrouie, Abdullah Kaddas Al Romaithi and Mohammed Mjrin Al Romaithi - to the University of Arizona to gain first-hand experience growing produce in arid conditions.Their aim was to return to Abu Dhabi and manage a Government project to develop a hospitable environment for cultivating vegetables for the growing population. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

The men graduated in 1969 with degrees in agricultural engineering and returned to Abu Dhabi, where they were congratulated by Sheikh Zayed, seen here with his adviser Thani bin Morshid Al Romaithi (back right), in their project office on Saadiyat Island. Front row from left, Mohammed Mjrin Al Romaithi. Hamad Al Mazrouie and Abdullah Kaddas Al Romaithi. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

Greenhouses were built on the sea-side of Saadiyat Island, at the location that is now the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The $3.4 million project was funded by the Abu Dhabi Government and was overseen by the programme directors in Arizona. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

Vegetables including tomatoes, aubergine, cucumbers and cabbage were grown in the greenhouses, in a combination of sea sand and desert sand, which was meant to cut down on the salt content in the sand, along with proper fertilizer for the arid conditions. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

Sheikh Zayed toured the greenhouses with the director of the Arizona programme - with Abdullah Kaddas Al Romaithi (far left) as translator - and saw the results of the carefully designed project. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

In 1974, Abdullah Kaddas Al Romaithi, seen in the plaid shorts and cowboy hat, gave a tour of the greenhouses to boxer Muhammad Ali when the heavyweight visited the region. The Saadiyat greenhouses project ended in 1975. Courtesy Ali Kaddas Al Romaithi

This week we learned that a French company has begun a trial of growing strawberries in hydroponic grow rooms in Dubai. This could afford potentially millions of desert-dwellers the opportunity to enjoy fresh produce directly from the community, without relying on it being flown in from Europe or North America. While the method is new, the desire to provide locally produced fruits and vegetables to the UAE population is not.

Sheikh Zayed, Founding President of the UAE is known to have said: "Give me agriculture and I'll guarantee you civilisation." Even before the formation of the country, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi knew the importance of his nation having greenery and fresh produce available locally. So 52 years ago, he selected three Abu Dhabi students to enrol in the agricultural and irrigation engineering programme at the University of Arizona to study hydroponic growth in desert climates.

Three years later, Abdullah Kaddas Al Romaithi, Mohammad Mjrin Al Romaithi and Hamad Al Mazrouei graduated with engineering degrees, and with their knowledge and expertise, set up greenhouses on Saadiyat Island – at the exact location of the current Louvre Abu Dhabi – with the goal of developing sustainable fruit and vegetable cultivation within the borders of the UAE.

The US$3.4 million (Dh12.48m) project was funded by the Abu Dhabi Government and supervised by the university programme in Arizona. It used a combination of sea sand mixed with desert sand to reduce the salt content, along with proper fertiliser for the arid conditions. Over the course of six years, the project produced tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers and cabbages for the local community, and even came to the attention of heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali, who visited the greenhouses in 1974.

Decades later, the UAE continues to be innovative in using technology to support the needs of its growing population, and in turn, communities in other remote climates could potentially benefit from the fruits of their labour.

________________

Read more:

________________