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 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 meters that can produce over one ton of organic vegetables and fruits every month,” he noted.
Sustainable food in a land-scarce environment
Al Mahmoudi noted a team of botanists, agriculturists and engineers from Merlin International, has been conducting researches to develop a soil-free vertical cultivation (farming) technology that is the ideal way to produce sustainable food in a land-scarce environment.
Read the complete article at Sharjah 24