Agriculture is the current talk of the town - especially in areas which are relatively arid and dry like the Middle East. The rising population, lack of space, the season change and food insecurity have led to the rise of intensive agricultural technologies practices. The Middle East, specifically having both technology and infrastructure, has started promoting the industry as a whole because most of the seasons there are unfavourable towards conventional agriculture hence investment in UAE's Agriculture is the most widely discussed topic.
Image Source: https://www.ordermentum.com/blog/are-vertical-farms-the-way-of-the-future
Talking about UAE which is the hub and centre of attraction when it comes to urban farming in Dubai, CEA and vertical farming – The Dubai Food Security Committee constantly reviews current opportunities and challenges within the national food security strategy framework. Their plans for enhancing self-sufficiency in the agricultural sector by supporting the use of technologies and applied research in food processing and agriculture are focused on meeting the current and future needs of Dubai's citizens and residents and this will facilitate continued developments until complete sustainability is achieved.
Image Source: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/watch-sheikh-mohammed-visits-worlds-largest-vertical-farm
It was not one or two years before the government thought to implement the technology into farming but ever since they have realised that only contemporary farming could be the answer to many pressing issues. Now, the scenario is that if you walk the region's public-dominated areas like malls, airports, schools etc - you will find the walking area and the walls beautifully covered with vertical farming hangings and cultivation. The government is also heavily investing in UAE's agriculture specifically and is framing plans and policies attracting foreign investments and providing ease of business to new companies entering the market.
Dubai has always been forward-thinking in its approach - just look at the infrastructure. Something that most nations have now started implementing has been the core of the Emirates for more than a decade.
Image Source: https://www.agritecture.com/blog/2021/1/22/vertical-farmings-success-depends-on-the-cheapest-lightbulb
Investing in UAE's agriculture sector is profitable because first, the developments are way more than in any other region and second, not only is the government so supportive but also, the vertical farming in UAE and specifically Dubai is gaining momentum with each passing day. This is something that we have all seen when the world's largest farm - ECO 1 by Bustanica was opened last year and was greatly appreciated.
Let's just see why one should invest in UAE's Agriculture market:
1) Rich economy: Dubai not only has a rich infrastructure but also the knowledge of the latest technology which is a dire need at the time. The UAE has already begun integrating AI with industries such as education, agriculture, healthcare, space, transportation, and aviation. AI is a key part of the ambitious plans of the UAE government to diversify its economy and become a knowledge economy.
2) Focussed agriculture initiatives: In 2020, the UAE Cabinet approved the national system for sustainable agriculture to improve the efficiency of farms, enhance self-sufficiency in food and create new opportunities to ensure that the agriculture sector is always ranked among the best since then, UAE has never looked back. The region, outstanding efforts over the past decades to build an agricultural sector that is better able to contribute to food diversity and the national economy by adopting policies that limit the impact of these factors and adopt sustainable and climate-smart agriculture methods that focus on the optimal utilisation of the cultivated land and the quality of local produce to enhance its competitiveness.
3) Strive to achieve sustainability goals: The UAE adopted organic farming to promote healthier production. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has been increasing acreage under organic farming by 5 per cent annually. Further, Dubai Municipality ran an initiative called 'Grow Your Food'. The initiative aimed to reduce agriculture imports and build a happy and sustainable city through the promotion of food security.
Image Source: https://vertical-farming.net/blog/2023/02/21/vertical-farm-tech-provider-ifarm-moves-hq-to-uae/
4) Food-tech valley 2021 project: This is the initiative Dubai took to maximize UAE's food production - facilitating food security and striving for better innovation when it comes to contemporary farming in future.
5) Innovation-driven food strategy: UAE specifically Dubai positions itself as No 1 in terms of technology transfer, infrastructure and having the best R&D facilities. Along with having a progressive government - vertical farming is a booming topic for the government there as it has the potential to combat many climate-related issues.
Image Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkobayashisolomon/2019/04/05/investing-in-vertical-farming-five-take-aways/?sh=36c177fa355c
So, even now when you think about why you should invest in UAE's agriculture specifically in the vertical farming sector - this article should definitely serve your purpose.
