What is Rechsand? How breathable sand could revolutionise farming in the UAE


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Indian businessman Chandra Dake and his wife, Sujatha, are growing a veritable forest in their Al Furjan home in Dubai.

The temperature may be 40°C and more, but the plants that line the front of the Dake house, including a temple tree, jasmine, a coconut tree, roses and six varieties of hibiscus, are in full bloom. “These plants don’t grow in the desert normally, but here they are, flowering,” says Sujatha.

The back garden, meanwhile, doubles as an orchard and includes some trees that grow only in the tropics. In a year or so, the grapes, pomegranate, star fruit, moringa, papaya and other exotics will start to blossom, says Sujatha.

A chikoo plant at Chandra and Sujatha Dake's Al Furjan villa. Pawan Singh / The National
A chikoo plant at Chandra and Sujatha Dake's Al Furjan villa. Pawan Singh / The National

Dake, who moved from South Africa to the UAE in 2018, credits the flourishing space to “breathable sand” technology, aka Rechsand, from China, which he says has the power to revolutionise farming in the desert.

A product resulting from a collaboration between South Africa’s Dake Group and the Rechsand Technology Group from China, Rechsand is manufactured from the finest sand taken from the Gobi Desert and turned into a series of products, including pots and blankets that connect the ground air while retaining water to prevent seepage.

Rechsand has selective permeability. Pawan Singh / The National
Rechsand has selective permeability. Pawan Singh / The National

The process is patented and the sand has been treated to give it selective permeability. “We are able to choose which elements can pass through and which can be restricted,” says Dake. “The process of manufacturing is expensive because of the custom-built machinery that treats every molecular structure of the sand and the water through a rigorous process."

That said, a centimetre of bottom layering of Rechsand is enough to last a lifetime. Another upside to using this technology is the sustainability aspect, says Dake. Water consumption in gardening or farming is reduced by up to 80 per cent as a result, he says.

Dake brought the sand with him to the UAE. “We water the front of the house for two minutes in a day and the back garden for four minutes, and the total water bill we pay for using 13,000 gallons is Dh800 ($217) a month, which also includes home and swimming pool usage,” he says.

Chandra and Sujatha Dake in their garden. Pawan Singh / The National
Chandra and Sujatha Dake in their garden. Pawan Singh / The National

Air permeability is key

Dake says, recalling an experiment of sorts that he carried out in his office during the stay-at-home months last year: “We filled the office plants to the brim with water and when we reopened the office after two months, the plants were distressed, but not dead.”

The principle behind this technology is called surface-free energy, which is based on how solids react to the surface tension of liquids. Products based on similar technologies, such as hydrophobic sand, are already being used in the UAE. “When you pour water on hydrophobic desert sand, it repels the water, which is a technology called slacking,” Dake explains.

Dake demonstrates the water-retaining capacity of his breathable sand. Pawan Singh / The National
Dake demonstrates the water-retaining capacity of his breathable sand. Pawan Singh / The National

Though Rechsand has some similar properties to hydrophobic sand, the difference lies in the former’s breathability. “Air permeability is our speciality, because of which plant roots do better in terms of quality and growth,” he says.

Desert farming improved

Dake cites Rechsand's ability to enable rice farming on 607 hectares in a desert with a temperature of 57°C in inner Mongolia, a success story he also shared at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 2019.

The company is also working on a 4,500-kilometre green wall in China, of which 2,000km of forest has already been planted to improve vegetation in the desert.

“This technology is sustainable in large-scale desert farming and forest plantation settings because it conserves water and also gives greenery,” he says.

The Dake home in Dubai is full of greenery. Pawan Singh / The National
The Dake home in Dubai is full of greenery. Pawan Singh / The National

In the UAE, the company has worked with private farms and a few schools in Dubai via the Ministry of Education, and it provides landscaping services for villas. In Abu Dhabi, the technology has helped with the growing of peanuts, mung beans and black-eyed peas on some farms, while mango and lemon orchids have also shown fruitful results in 18 months, he says. The sand is likely to be introduced into hypermarkets for individual use, too.

Planting one tree with Rechsand costs between Dh200 and Dh250. “The recovery cost of each tree can be covered in less than one year if compared to the amount of water – between 2,000 and 2,500 gallons – it saves,” says Dake. Despite using less water, you can make green covers and long tracks with this sand, as opposed to, say, a greenhouse, which is hydroponic and cannot cover a lot of greenery.

The company is currently offering two projects to corporate clients: a perennial fruit forest and the Miyawaki forest. The latter is a Japanese design that grows 10 times faster. The Rechsand-Miyawaki combination, says Dake, has the potential to “make a lush green rainforest in the desert with very little water and trees that grow thicker, faster and taller”.

The specs: Macan Turbo

Engine: Dual synchronous electric motors
Power: 639hp
Torque: 1,130Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Touring range: 591km
Price: From Dh412,500
On sale: Deliveries start in October

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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Updated: July 30, 2021, 4:34 AM`