The UAE’s agriculture sector has developed by leaps and bounds in the last decade. To boost the country’s production, the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park) has been developing innovative technologies, including hydroponics, that will also help ensure food security in the region.
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, said: “SRTI Park is a hub for researchers, entrepreneurs, start-ups and industry experts who develop solutions that can shape food food production not only in the UAE but also regionally and globally.
“We have been harnessing technology for agricultural production and food security. We develop hydroponics and located inside SRTI Park is Merlin Agrotunnel, an aquaponics farm (combination of raising fish and cultivating plants in tanks) with an area of around 150 square metres that can produce over one ton of organic vegetables and fruits every month,” he noted.
“This agricultural system at SRTI Park is one of the solutions to the problems of agriculture and food production. The agrotunnel can be combined into multiple units to create a commercial farm to provide fresh organic produce for multiple households daily. The agrotunnel can work in any environment and weather condition – even in the middle of the desert. We use advanced cooling technologies that can work on solar energy and can harvest water from sea or air,” he added.
