Food security: 7 foods produced in the UAE


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Think it’s all dates and cucumbers? Think again. Gulf farmers in the late 20th century, such as Saudi Arabia’s commercial wheat farmers, proved it was possible to grow almost any crop with fresh water and cooling.

But many projects were abandoned because it is no longer a question of if things can grow, but how.

Not all crops are sustainable in a world with finite natural resources. In the last century, agricultural in the Emirates was water and energy intensive and only possible due to generous government subsidies.

The UAE has invested heavily in overseas land acquisition but the pandemic was a stark reminder of the importance of food production within our borders. A push for hydroponics and fish farms is the latest trend to balance the needs of a growing population with limited resources.

The future requires both consumers and producers to be flexible. Buying local helps UAE businesses, cuts your carbon footprint and gives you a fresher meal. Ready to ditch the Norwegian salmon, Spanish spinach and Californian blueberries? Then read on for some local options.

1. Salmon – Jebel Ali

Bader Bin Mubarak presents Fish Farm's desert-grown salmon. Pawan Singh / The National
Bader Bin Mubarak presents Fish Farm's desert-grown salmon. Pawan Singh / The National

The world has an insatiable appetite for salmon and it is the second most popular fish in the UAE after hammour.

But the cold water fish is imported from farms in Norway, or even Argentina, so it has travelled at least 7,000km before it hits your dinner plate. Enter Fish Farm.

The Jebel Ali company flew out 40,000 baby salmon from Scotland to start its onshore hatchery and plans to produce 10,000 to 15,000kg of salmon a month.

Its launch alongside a government push for locally farmed fish as a respite for depleted local stocks. Fish Farm salmon went on sale at Spinneys last year at Dh99 per kilogram.

2. Oysters – Dibba Fujairah

Chef Sean Connolly shucks an oyster from Dibba Bay, an oyster farm in Fujairah.
Chef Sean Connolly shucks an oyster from Dibba Bay, an oyster farm in Fujairah.

In the UAE, we consume 220,000 tonnes of seafood a year and three quarters of it is imported. Ramie Murray, a Scot raised in Dubai, saw this as an opportunity and opened Dibba Bay, a three-hectare farm producing between 25,000 and 30,000 oysters per month for local restaurants. The briny oysters are grow in multi-level nets three metres under the sea on the east coast.

3. Dairy – Al Ain and Digdagga

Cows get a bracing spray of water at Al Ain Dairy. Ravindranath K / The National
Cows get a bracing spray of water at Al Ain Dairy. Ravindranath K / The National

The improbability of European dairy cows thriving in the scorching Arabian desert is not given a thought when shoppers pick up a bottle of milk at the local baqala. But the remarkable tale of how the Gulf got its first dairy cows in 1969, when a herd of heavily pregnant Friesians and a bull named Ironside arrived in Ras Al Khaimah, is emblematic of how 20th century farmers defied expectations to boost food production.

Border closures have caused GCC states to step up their milk production, even as dairy's heavy carbon and water footprint have caused consumers elsewhere to look at alternatives. Meanwhile, food experts still see untapped potential for camel milk, with is three times richer in Vitamin C than cow milk.

4. Leafy greens – Abu Dhabi

Sean Lee inspects a new crop of lettuce at the Smart Acres hydroponics farm in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Sean Lee inspects a new crop of lettuce at the Smart Acres hydroponics farm in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

The country's first hydroponic farms produced leafy greens in the UAE as early as 1969, when American horticulturalist Merle Jensen filled greenhouses on Saadiyat Island at the Arid Lands Research Centre.

Fast-growing greens such as lettuce, spinach and rocket are popular at hydroponic farms, where crops grow in tubes of nutrient-rich water instead of soil.

Hydroponic farming is organic, and water and land-efficient, so it is little wonder farmers are turning to this technique, pioneered half a century ago, to grow great crops of cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage and green peppers.

5. Mangoes – Fujairah

Judges inspect lemons and mangoes during the Liwa Date Festival.
Judges inspect lemons and mangoes during the Liwa Date Festival.

The national mango boom began after federation in 1970s and got an push in 2011 when the Liwa Date Festival offered Dh25,000 for the country’s best mango.

Mountainous Fujairah is home to about half of the country's mango trees, which numbered 109,000 in 2015. However, some farmers are turning away from mangoes and conventional farming as water tables turn saline and electricity expenses prove too high, showing long-term resource management is essential if food security is to be sustained over decades.

6. Sardines (uma) – East Coast

Fishermen drying sardines on the beach of Fujairah city.
Fishermen drying sardines on the beach of Fujairah city.

Looking for a local source of protein? Old-timers swear by dried sardines, eaten as snack on naan or ground and mixed into oil and poured over rice for a little umami flavouring.

It’s an acquired taste but a great source of omega-3s, calcium and vitamin D, and has low mercury levels compared with other fish.

7. Mountain herbs – Hajjar mountains

A stream flows through a wadi near Muna'i, Ras Al Khaimah. Chris Whiteoak / The National
A stream flows through a wadi near Muna'i, Ras Al Khaimah. Chris Whiteoak / The National

From aloe to bishop’s weed seeds, the country’s mountains and deserts are full of powerful herbs that can heal broken bones, regulate blood sugar or ease menstrual cramps. But these fragile habitats are being lost to sprawling suburbs and roadways, and are at risk from climate change.

Botanists are still discovering the wonders of hardy plants perfectly adapted to our arid climate.

Pick up a field guide such as The Comprehensive Guide to the Wild Flowers of the United Arab Emirates by Dr Marijcke Jongbloed and you're ready to forage.

Honourable mention: Dibbs

Ali Al Mehri prepares for the Liwa Date Festival. Christopher Pike / The National
Ali Al Mehri prepares for the Liwa Date Festival. Christopher Pike / The National

This list would not be complete without a tip of the hat to one of the world’s greatest natural sweeteners, and one we have in abundance.

Date syrup, or dibbs, is a perfect substitute for many imports: use it in baking instead of molasses, on ice cream instead of chocolate sauce, or on pancakes instead of maple syrup.

It is low calorie, unprocessed and loaded with the goodness of vitamin A and C, thiamine, folate, calcium, iron and magnesium. What’s more, it costs less than Dh15 for a 1kg bottle and never spoils. It is probably only a matter of time before it is hailed internationally as the superfood it is.

Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23

UAE fixtures:
Men

Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final

Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final

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Sector: Online food delivery

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GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

While you're here

'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap​​​​​​​
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal​​​​​​​
Rating: 3.5/5

Factfile on Garbine Muguruza:

Name: Garbine Muguruza (ESP)

World ranking: 15 (will rise to 5 on Monday)

Date of birth: October 8, 1993

Place of birth: Caracas, Venezuela

Place of residence: Geneva, Switzerland

Height: 6ft (1.82m)

Career singles titles: 4

Grand Slam titles: 2 (French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2017)

Career prize money: $13,928,719

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m 
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford

THE BIO

Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist

Age: 78

Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”

Hobbies: his work  - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”

Other hobbies: football

Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club

 

Brief scores

Toss India, chose to bat

India 281-7 in 50 ov (Pandya 83, Dhoni 79; Coulter-Nile 3-44)

Australia 137-9 in 21 ov (Maxwell 39, Warner 25; Chahal 3-30)

India won by 26 runs on Duckworth-Lewis Method

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3

Producer: JAR Films

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi

Rating: 3 star

BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES

Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)

Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)

Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)

Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)

Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)

Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)

Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)

Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)

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Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate 

RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E9pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Mubhir%20Al%20Ain%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%20(jockey)%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%20(trainer)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3A%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Exciting%20Days%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Doug%20Watson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10pm%3A%20Al%20Ain%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Suny%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Marcelino%20Rodrigues%2C%20Hamad%20Al%20Marar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C800m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Jafar%20Des%20Arnets%2C%20Oscar%20Chavez%2C%20Ahmed%20Al%20Mehairbi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Taj%20Al%20Izz%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al%20Hadhrami%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11.30pm%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Majdy%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Jean%20de%20Roualle%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E12am%3A%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Hamloola%2C%20Sam%20Hitchcott%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Ketbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

The%C2%A0specs%20
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