The UAE aims to boost the local production of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce its reliance on imports. Wam
The UAE aims to boost the local production of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce its reliance on imports. Wam
The UAE aims to boost the local production of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce its reliance on imports. Wam
The UAE aims to boost the local production of fresh fruits and vegetables and reduce its reliance on imports. Wam

ADQ's AgTech Park begins operations with opening of vertical farm


Deena Kamel
  • English
  • Arabic

Al Ain-based AgTech Park, the agricultural venture of Abu Dhabi holding company ADQ, has started operations with the opening of a multipurpose vertical farm as the UAE seeks to enhance food security by developing local supply chains.

ADQ teamed up with Italy-based tech company Zero on the vertical farm, making it the first of several controlled-environment projects that will be housed in AgTech Park, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Wednesday.

The initiatives are intended to boost local indoor farming and "push the boundaries" of desert-climate farming in the UAE.

The inaugural vertical farm is located within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi Group (Kezad), home to a network of food industries across the entire value chain.

Additional sites exploring different technology will be set up in Al Ain Industrial City in the coming year, the media office said.

“We are pleased to host Zero Farms as part of ADQ’s AgTech Park," said Capt Mohamed Al Shamsi, managing director chief executive of the AD Ports Group.

"Kezad has a well-established ecosystem for food industries that spans the entire value chain, with a strong base for growth for both local producers and the food industry as a whole.

"The project will contribute to the National Food Security Programme and help establish Abu Dhabi and the UAE as the regional hub for food.”

Vertical farming has a significantly smaller carbon footprint than traditional agricultural methods.

It grows plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water and without the use of soil.

The plants are grown in a controlled environment — with everything from temperature, humidity, lighting, water and nutrients is tightly monitored to maximise growth and yields.

The new farm is in line with the UAE's agenda for reliable crop production all year round and a stable supply chain not dependent on the weather and free from attacks by pests, the emirate's media office said.

The Zero project is retrofitted in a 1,000 sqm warehouse and will achieve an initial production volume of approximately 10 tonnes per year at the proof-of-concept stage.

This pilot phase is expected to conclude in the summer of 2023, following which a 40,000 sqm commercial phase of the vertical farm is expected to be launched in Al Ain, alongside other projects featuring controlled-environment technologies.

At full scale, the 200-hectare AgTech Park will target production volumes of more than 40 kilo-tonnes of fresh fruits and vegetables annually, which would account for up to 6 per cent of the UAE’s total consumption and 12 per cent of the import of the produce grown within the park, the media office said.

“As our vision of creating a state-of-the-art AgTech Park takes shape with the support of Zero ... we are harnessing technology to create a controlled environment that advances the UAE’s ability to grow fresh, nutritious and tastier foods year-round," said Gil Adotevi, executive director of food and agriculture at ADQ.

"The breakthrough technology utilised in the park for the first time in the UAE explores new solutions to help tackle the challenge of sustainably farming in arid and desert climates, allowing us to contribute to not only shortening but also ‘greening’ the food value chain, which is top of the agenda for policymakers around the world as we progress on our net-zero journey.”

The UAE has been bolstering its support for AgTech companies to reduce its reliance on imports, which are thought to make up about 90 per cent of the food consumed in the country.

Abu Dhabi has launched a number of initiatives, including offering $41 million in grants and incentives worth $545 million to support the expansion of the sector.

UAE residents are already seeing evidence of recent efforts to grow food in the country as locally harvested farm produce is now a common sight at markets or on dining menus.

Much of this has surfaced over the past few years as vertical and hydroponic farming ventures, as well as research and cloud-seeding, bear fruit.

“Vertical farms respond to the urgent need to rethink agriculture, making it more environmentally friendly and sustainable in a world prioritising the responsible use of resources," said Daniele Modesto, chief executive of Zero.

Zero's collaboration with ADQ "allows us to play a role in building one of the most diversified indoor farming facilities in the region that will contribute to realising the nation’s food security strategy", he said.

Last month, US vertical farming company AeroFarms opened its 6,000-square-metre research and development centre in Abu Dhabi, the largest in the world, with the aim of advancing sustainable agriculture in arid climates.

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder

Transmission: CVT auto

Power: 181bhp

Torque: 244Nm

Price: Dh122,900 

TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
 

The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.

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1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Polarised public

31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views

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Source: YouGov

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The National Archives, Abu Dhabi

Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.

Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en

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Updated: March 22, 2023, 12:57 PM