World’s biggest vertical farms ‘will turn UAE deserts green’

With temperatures regularly reaching 40C and just a few days of rain a year, Abu Dhabi may not seem like the ideal place to grow vegetables.

But the capital of the United Arab Emirates is pledging to “make the desert turn green” by building the world’s largest indoor vertical farm where it will cultivate lettuce, cabbages and tomatoes, in defiance of the scorching temperatures outside.

The 8,200 sq m (88,264 sq ft) climate-controlled building will feature stacked trays of seedlings, each illuminated by artificial light and filled with a soil substitute such as cloth made from recycled plastic bottles.

Researchers at the centre will study and produce a wide variety of crops, while using up to 95 per cent less water than traditional farming, according to the US company Aerofarms that is running the project.

It is being funded by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio), which announced £80 million of funding this week for four agricultural technology projects, including the world’s first commercial-scale tomato farm that uses artificial LED lighting.

Despite the high electricity demands of sun lamps and air conditioning, proponents of indoor vertical farming claim that the technology is more efficient than traditional methods and could dramatically reduce the financial and environmental cost of transporting fresh produce around the world.

The UAE imports 80 per cent of its food, but a rising population and regional tensions have increased fears over the global supply chains it relies on, which have been further threatened by the coronavirus pandemic.

Abdulaziz al-Mulla, chief executive of Madar Farms, which is constructing the new tomato farm in the Kizad industrial zone between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, said he aimed to produce a tonne of tomatoes a day and that they would be tastier than imported varieties. “We can cut the supply chain to hours, rather than days,” he said. “This means our produce will not only be rich in flavour but will not lose its nutrients by the time it’s consumed.”

Madar Farms is already growing lettuce, leafy greens and kale inside stacks of old shipping containers in the Masdar City area near the Abu Dhabi international airport. Inside the windowless containers plants are nurtured at 17C, with artificial light in deep red and blue hues timed to simulate day and night.

Other emirates, such as Dubai and Sharjah, are also exploring new agricultural methods including aquaponics, in which fish are raised alongside edible plants and herbs, and focusing on crops such as quinoa and millet that can thrive in brackish or minimal water. In addition, Abu Dhabi continues to invest in companies specialising in irrigation systems and crop selection methods for indoor farms.

Announcing the first round of a planned total £215 million investment into agriculture, Tariq bin Hendi, the director-general of Adio, said that the emirate wanted “to turn sand into farmland”. He added: “In line with Abu Dhabi’s long-term vision to grow the sector, Adio partners with companies that have innovation at the core to help to ensure long-term success. Each of these companies will benefit from our plentiful land, natural heat, our competitive energy prices and access to research universities and skilled talent.”

The vertical farming market is forecast by Global Market Insights to grow to £11 billion a year in 2024, from £2 billion in 2017.