UAE turns to hydroponics in quest for self-sufficiency
The Zaarie project, which was launched three years ago by the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and the Farmers’ Services Centre, aims to upgrade the farms to hydroponics, a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water without soil.
“We introduced new technologies in farming to save water, electricity and to minimise the use of pesticides," said Ahmed Al Romaithi, project head for the fund, a government organisation that helps develop the emirates’ businesses.
“More than 80 per cent of water is saved so far, and you need four to five times the space in conventional farming in greenhouses to produce the same amount."
Read more at The National