World's biggest R&D vertical farm opens in Abu Dhabi to seed the future of food


Kelsey Warner
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Eighteen months after breaking ground in Abu Dhabi, US vertical farming company AeroFarms has opened its 6,000 square-metre research and development centre, the largest of its kind in the world, with the aim of advancing sustainable agriculture in arid climates.

UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam Almheiri called the opening a great achievement for the region, noting that 80 per cent of the nation's food is imported and less than five per cent of land is suitable for farming.

Advancing indoor vertical farming, which relies on precise environmental control systems, less water and none of the pesticides used in traditional farming, could transform the region's potential as an agricultural producer.

AeroFarms AgX, the New Jersey company's wholly owned subsidiary in the UAE, is part of a group of four AgTech ventures to share in a $150 million investment from Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio), announced in April 2020, to bring cutting-edge research to the capital to improve food security.

Aerofarms R&D centre has opened in Abu Dhabi.
Aerofarms R&D centre has opened in Abu Dhabi.

AeroFarms' partnership with Adio "reflects our bigger commitment ... to commercialise new products for the region and the world,” David Rosenberg, the co-founder and chief executive of AeroFarms, said.

"There are few parts of the world where there's the belief of 'we can do anything'," he told The National at the time of the project's announcement.

"In the UAE, you have boldness of 'let's do it bigger, better' and that was very attractive to us."

Abu Dhabi has invested tens of millions of dollars into AgTech start-ups with a focus on technology-based solutions to boost food production, including automation, robotics and novel approaches to greenhouse and vertical farming.

The UAE announced a national food security strategy in 2018 and is doubling down on its sustainability efforts as it prepares to host Cop28 later this year.

The new AeroFarms AgX R&D centre will employ over 60 engineers, horticulturists, and scientists to staff the laboratories conducting research into genetically modified crops and automated growing practices.

The company also said it plans to develop machine learning and robotics at the site with the aim of increasing food yields and reducing the resources needed to grow produce.

The plan is to partner with local companies and universities on research projects to tackle problems of agriculture within desert and arid climates.

AeroFarms AgX announced its first local partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi AgTech firm Silal, an ADQ-owned company. The partnership will focus on R&D to commercialise crops like tomatoes and peppers.

Salmeen Alameri, chief executive of Silal, said its collaboration with AeroFarms marks a milestone towards developing more effective long-term agriculture practices in Abu Dhabi.

AeroFarms is a 19-year-old company that sells a variety of greens in some of the biggest US retailers including Walmart and Amazon-owned Whole Foods.

In 2021, AeroFarms said it was scrapping plans to go public via a special purpose acquisition company, saying it was not in the interest of shareholders to do so.

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
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Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari

Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

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Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
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The lowdown

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Director: Bryan Singer

Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee

Rating: 3/5

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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
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While you're here
Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

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Always use only regulated platforms

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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80

Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

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Transmission: 9-speed auto

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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
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Updated: February 16, 2023, 5:10 AM`