Dubai (Etihad)
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, may God protect him, stressed that food security and self-sufficiency in our food needs, and achieving the sustainability of its resources, are fixed strategic priorities for the UAE, praising His Highness for the efforts of the UAE’s people and creative youth in various fields. Fields, including the agricultural field, through their ideas and projects that benefit from the latest and most advanced technologies, and follow international best practices to increase the productivity of the agricultural sector, and expand food production locally.
This came during the visit of His Highness, accompanied by His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Supreme Chairman of the Emirates Airlines Group, to “Bostanek”, the largest vertical agricultural complex that depends on hydroponics in the world, which Emirates Airlines recently announced its opening with investments amounting to 150 million dirhams.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed that enhancing local production in the vital agricultural sectors is a fundamental pillar of the sustainable development of the UAE. His Highness said: “The opening of the largest vertical agricultural complex in the world is an important achievement, reflecting the extent to which our national institutions are aware of the most important development files, And its contribution to confirming the leadership of the UAE in various future fields.”
His Highness praised the continuous development process that Emirates Airlines is witnessing, at all levels, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and its active role in accelerating the pace of economic growth through its continuous initiatives and integrated strategy to stimulate ideas and provide the appropriate atmosphere to launch pioneering projects that enhance the position of Dubai as a global city is keen to ensure the elements of sustainability, prosperity and excellence.
His Highness said: “Emirates is a national destination that we are proud of in its achievements and services, which have enhanced its competitiveness among the largest and most prestigious international airlines by introducing new standards of quality in this field. We are confident in the ability of our young cadres and our national institutions to present and implement ideas that go beyond traditional frameworks. To accelerate the pace of achievement, and achieve the best results in various vital sectors.”
food security strategy
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the visit, was briefed on the advanced technologies used in the agricultural complex, which represent an essential component of smart agricultural societies of the future, and the advantages they provide to meet the needs of self-sufficiency in food, support a diversified economy based on knowledge and innovation, and achieve goals The food security strategy applies the highest standards of sustainability, to serve as the first building block for food security based on innovation.
330,000 square feet
His Highness listened to an explanation of the technologies used in the smart agricultural complex built on an area of 330,000 square feet near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central, which allows its production capacity to reach more than one million kilograms of high-quality leafy vegetables annually. While the smart technologies used in it contribute to reducing the water consumed in agriculture by 95% of the quantities of water needed by traditional agriculture, and other advantages, the most important of which is the availability of leafy crops throughout the year without being affected by climate change and seasons, with the “Bostanek” complex having the ability to Producing more than one million cultivated plants at any given time, allowing it to produce 3,000 kilograms of fresh, high-quality leafy vegetables daily.
Artificial intelligence
The “Bostanek” agricultural complex relies on advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and advanced applications, and is managed by an integrated team of highly qualified specialists, including agricultural experts, engineers, horticulturalists, and botanists. “Bostanek” relies on a continuous production cycle that ensures ultra-fresh and clean production, without the use of any pesticides or chemicals, while it has been provided with a closed circuit irrigation system, where water is recycled, which serves to save 250 million liters of water annually, compared to Traditional outdoor farming that produces the same amount of crop.
Securing supply chains
The smart agricultural complex “Bostanik” contributes to securing the supply chains of the Emirates Flight Catering Company, and ensuring that passengers on flights benefiting from the company’s services, led by Emirates Airlines, enjoy high-quality locally produced food products, while it will soon also be available to consumers in The UAE will buy agricultural products for “Bostanek” as part of future plans to expand the production and sale of fruits and vegetables.
It is noteworthy that the global vertical farming market has achieved steady growth over the past years, as estimates suggest the growth of this market from 4.16 billion dollars in 2022 to 20.91 billion dollars by 2029, with a large compound annual growth rate of 25.9%, in light of expectations The significant increase in the demand for the vertical farming model due to the growing demand for organic foods, and its positive effects on public health.
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