ABU DHABI // For the past 14 years, Yousef Qassem Hassan has struggled to grow food on his farm.
"I can only grow vegetables like onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers in winter," Mr Hassan said. "The rest of the year is dedicated to date palm trees."
His 11,550 square metre farm in Al Gharbia's Mirfa area is just 3 kilometres from the sea.
The air is humid, and the groundwater and soil are salty. That makes it hard for much to grow.
In such saline conditions, only two plants - desert saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) and salt couch grass (Sporobolus virginicus) - grow well. And they have to be imported from Oman, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
So a number of companies, including Abu Dhabi's Farmers' Services Centre, a government body tasked with modernising farms, bring Mr Hassan water for his crops, almost 12,000 litres a day.
But it has not always been as fresh as he might have hoped.
"Some companies who bring me freshwater to irrigate my crops and trees mix it with salt water," Mr Hassan said. "And that affects my farm."
Unlike farmers elsewhere, Mr Hassan has few options for irrigation. With salty groundwater, sprinklers quickly become clogged with residue.
His complaints to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears and he is now resigned to doing what he can with his salty soil. That, he says, means feeble produce.
"The salt is a big problem for me because it's affecting my vegetables really badly," Mr Hassan said.
"The growth of the plants and vegetables weaken because of it and the soil also can't be used that many times."
cmalek@thenational.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Company name: Fine Diner
Started: March, 2020
Co-founders: Sami Elayan, Saed Elayan and Zaid Azzouka
Based: Dubai
Industry: Technology and food delivery
Initial investment: Dh75,000
Investor: Dtec Startupbootcamp
Future plan: Looking to raise $400,000
Total sales: Over 1,000 deliveries in three months
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
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Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier
Sunday's results:
- UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
- Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
- Oman v Hong Kong, no result
Tuesday fixtures:
- Malaysia v Singapore
- UAE v Oman
- Nepal v Hong Kong
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
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ICC Awards for 2021
MEN
Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)
WOMEN
Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)
ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)
T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request