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Estonia’s Vintage Foods partners with UAE’s David and Goliath Farms to pioneer sustainable agriculture expansion

This initiative underscores the UAE’s commitment to leading climate initiatives, particularly following the recent UN climate summit COP28

Published: Fri 17 May 2024, 3:38 PM

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David and Goliath Farms, a trailblazer in innovative agricultural practices and carbon credit monetisation, has unveiled a pioneering partnership with Vintage Foods. This collaboration is set to extend David and Goliath’s unique and proprietary sustainable farming model to a wider audience, propelling global environmental goals by leveraging a unique financial model that replaces traditional seed funding with carbon credit forward contracts.

Nestled within the golden dunes of Ajman, David & Goliath Farms has secured a remarkable €5 million through the avant-garde strategy of forward carbon credit monetisation, owing to its innovative hydroponic and vertical farming systems that have pinned it as a success story of the future of environmental entrepreneurship.

David and Goliath Farms have successfully transformed green practices into tangible profits through strategic carbon credit monetisation. This approach generates a robust annual revenue of $833,430 and prevents the emission of 15,000 metric tons of CO2. These results steer the agricultural sector towards a more sustainable horizon and underscore the financial viability of such practices.

David and Goliath Farms’ visionary approach uses forward carbon credit monetisation, through which they recently secured €5 million. This infusion is the first wave of a planned €50 million funding initiative to nurture the farm’s growth from 3 to 25 high-tech hydroponic greenhouses.

The initial €5 million tranche is not just capital; it’s a beacon of progressive agricultural entrepreneurship. With precise benchmarks for the remaining funds, David and Goliath Farms are on track to redefine what it means to be an eco-conscious agrarian enterprise.

This move results from David & Goliath’s recent negotiation of a carbon credit rate of €50 per ton, which culminates in an annual return of €750,000 in carbon credits locked in for seven years. With forecasts suggesting an ascent in carbon credit prices to the €70-90+ range by 2030 within regulated markets like the EU ETS, the investor remains prudently secure with the credits locked in at a conservative €50, safeguarding their financial future against market volatility.

Numerous agricultural enterprises are embracing the growing interest in sustainable practices. This trend has paved the way for a strategic partnership between David and Goliath Farms and Vintage Foods. This collaboration, which aligns with global sustainability objectives, is poised to enhance the ecological footprint of agricultural operations worldwide significantly. Vintage Foods will adopt and scale these innovative practices, thereby setting a new standard for environmental responsibility in agriculture.

Every step towards their expansion is a stride towards a greener future. Every square foot of their high-yield vertical farms is a mini-ecosystem optimised by combining renewable energy solutions, AI-optimized LED lighting, automated climate control, supply chain optimisation, and direct air capture (DAC).

Dr Lal Bhatia, chairman of David and Goliath Farms, commented on the broader impact of this partnership: "This is about more than just expanding our operations; it’s about fostering a greener future. Our successful carbon credit strategy and ongoing expansion demonstrate that sustainability and profitability are mutually reinforcing, proving a robust model for the future of agriculture."

"Our partnership with David and Goliath Farms and the employment of their innovative approach aim to achieve a multi pronged strategy of environmental preservation, food security, product price stability, increased access to capital, and greater profitability. We are excited about the collaboration and foresee the establishment of a test setup by Q4 of 2024,” said Paul Kotowski, managing director, Vintage Trading/Vintage Foods.

This initiative underscores the UAE’s commitment to leading climate initiatives, particularly following the recent UN climate summit COP28. It highlights the nation’s dedication to promoting sustainable practices across all sectors.



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