Watch: In a first, UAE launches trials to cultivate quinoa, promote food security

Dubbed 'a distinguished achievement', the initiative is supported by a Dh100-million research fund

Published: Tue 24 Sep 2024, 6:15 PM

Updated: Tue 24 Sep 2024, 8:02 PM

By
Web Desk

Photo: ADQ/X

Abu Dhabi-based investment firm ADQ announced on Tuesday that it will collaborate with the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and agri-tech food company Silal to try cultivating quinoa in the UAE for the first time, in an initiative supported by Dh100 million research lab.

"We are proud to support the research conducted by Silal and the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture to launch the first quinoa cultivation trials in the UAE which represents a distinguished achievement in the efforts to provide agriculture solutions technology locally", Mansour Al Mulla, deputy group chief executive officer at ADQ said in a video on X.

"This initiative is supported by the Dh100 million research and development fund of the ADQ Growth Lab and reflects our ongoing commitment to develop agricultural technology solutions at the local level", he added

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Silal is developing innovative, drought-resistant varieties to enhance food security and reduce reliance on imports.

Watch the video below:

Strawberries in Abu Dhabi

The UAE has seen similar agricultural initiatives. A 7,500sqm indoor vertical strawberry farm – a first-of-its-kind in the region – will start taking shape in Abu Dhabi to bolster sustainable agriculture and local production in the country.

Earlier this year, Abu Dhabi-headquartered Mawarid, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, entered into a partnership with California-based farming firm Plenty, to establish the world’s first vertical strawberry farm outside North America.

Kashif Shamsi, Group CEO of Mawarid, said that the joint venture seeks to advance food security in the UAE and region through cutting-edge technology.

The Abu Dhabi project, with an investment of Dh500 million, is the first of the five farms planned in the next five years.

“On a national level, this Agtech helps support the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the newly launched Agrifood Growth and Water Abundance cluster (AGWA)", Shamsi said.

Wheat in Sharjah

In January, Khaleej Times visited a wheat farm in Sharjah that is greening the desert. It is located some 65km away from the Sharjah city. About 25 lines of crops have been added at the farm, taking the total to 37, forming a green carpet of 1,900 hectares.

Last year, the wheat farm had bloomed over 400 hectares of land and produced over 200 tonnes of high-quality yield.

Now in its second year, the farm has been sown with 300 tonnes of high-quality seeds sourced from diverse locations. About 24,000 tons of organic fertilisers were applied to ensure optimum growth.

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