Sharjah Innovation Park developing hydroponics to boost food security

The Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park) has announced that it has been developing innovative technologies, including hydroponics, which will help ensure food security in the region.

Experts have noted that the UAE’s agriculture sector has developed by leaps and bounds in the last decade.

Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, said that SRTI Park is a hub for researchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and industry experts who develop solutions that can shape food production not only in the UAE, but also regionally and globally. “We have been harnessing technology for agricultural production and food security. We develop hydroponics and located inside SRTI Park is Merlin Agrotunnel, an aquaponics farm, which is a combination of raising fish and cultivating plants in tanks, with an area of around 150sqm that can produce over one tonne of organic vegetables and fruits every month.”

Al Mahmoudi explained that hydroponics requires a large investment in the beginning, but the technology significantly reduces the consumption of water. “It saves about 70 per cent of water, and uses less or no fertilisers, which makes it perfect to grow food in a desert environment with less agricultural space and far less water resources.”

Aquaponics, meanwhile, is a form of agriculture that combines raising fish in tanks with soil-less plant culture. The nutrient-rich water from raising fish provides a natural fertiliser for the plants, and the plants help to purify the water for the fish. The water that is used to irrigate the fruits and vegetables is seawater, desalinated through solar energy, thus completing the development of an integrated system ensuring sustainability of natural resources.

rohma@khaleejtimes.com