Giving the UAE green fingers is the key to food security taking root

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence at Al Marmoom farm. Photo: WamShow less

It is not every day that one sees some of country’s leading figures lined up, spades in hand, preparing for work on a farm. And yet this was the intriguing image that emerged from the recent launch of a national agriculture drive aimed not only at further securing the UAE’s food supply but at encouraging citizens and residents alike to grow more of their own produce.

Al Marmoom farm in Dubai on Sunday played host to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Alongside him were Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed as well as the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. They and other ministers were coming from a Cabinet meeting where the new project – Plant the Emirates – had been launched.

Plant the Emirates envisages a new National Agriculture Centre and other initiatives to further develop advanced farming technology, improve yields and quality, build links with the private sector and increase the number of farms and agricultural workers in the UAE. Importantly, it will also encourage people to develop green fingers by growing food at home.

The wheat farm project in Mleiha, which was opened in November by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, is getting ready to produce its first harvest. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Drone images show the vast green patches. The farm covers 400 hectares, about the size of 500 football pitches. Photo: Supplied

The irrigation system at the farm. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Dr Khalifa Musabeh Ahmed Alteneiji, Chairman of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, says the harvest should begin within weeks. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The crop has been grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals or genetically modified seeds. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The plan is to reach a total area of 1,900 hectares. Chris Whiteoak / The National

An on-site weather station can predict temperature, wind speed and humidity up to 48 hours ahead. If rain is forecast, the farm cuts down on irrigation. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The fields are irrigated using a reservoir with a capacity of 16,000 cubic metres. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The irrigation system in action. Chris Whiteoak / The National

In four months, the desert land has been transformed into a green oasis, ready to yield up to 1,700 tonnes of wheat. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Although it is true that agriculture is not new to the Emirates – people have farmed here for generations, often coming up with innovative ways of maximising yields despite low water supply and arid conditions – challenges remain. The UAE’s largely desert environment and the risks posed to supply chains by pandemics or international disruptions are particularly acute. And although the proportion of food that the Emirates imports is declining, the country is not yet self-sufficient.

Therefore, it is vital to get as many people as possible on board with new ways of thinking about food. The major strides in Emirati agriculture that have been made over the decades, including last year’s high-tech wheat-growing project at a 400-hectare farm complex in Sharjah and last month’s large-scale quinoa cultivation trials, will be even more effective if the population plays an active role in growing and producing. The UAE’s rapid urbanisation need not be a barrier to this: one need only consider the success of the allotment system in the UK or rooftop farming in built-up Hong Kong.

The drive to secure and improve food supplies in the UAE is as old as the country itself

Encouraging people to play their part could also change attitudes to consumption. Data last year from the UAE’s first national household food waste survey found that 38 per cent of food prepared went to waste at a cost of $163.3 million and Ne’ma, the UAE’s national food loss and waste initiative, is driving efforts to reduce food waste by 50 per cent by 2030. Building a closer link between people and their food is an important step in improving these figures.

Another important benefit is that of health and developing better eating habits, with fresh produce being instrumental to that drive.

The push to secure and improve food supplies in the UAE is as old as the country itself. Sheikh Mohammed reflected on this when he said the Plant the Emirates project “carries forward the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE Founding Father, fulfilling his vision to green, cultivate, and nurture the land of the UAE”. That vision is being brought nearer by 21st-century technology and innovation – often presenting credible investment opportunities for domestic and international companies. But for it to really take root, more of us should grow our own.