A former diamond industry specialist is betting on vertical farming to revolutionise food production in the water-scarce Gulf, with plans to deploy 20 hydroponic containers and a 2-acre vertical greenhouse across 20,000 acres of allocated land in the Sultanate of Oman.
Al Basateen Al Amrah, founded by Natasja van Der Linde, an entrepreneur with agricultural roots in South Africa and certification from Dubai's Barakhova Academy, represents an ambitious attempt to address the region's food security challenges through closed-loop farming systems that use 90 per cent less water than traditional agriculture.
The company, currently incubated with FasterCapital in the pre-funding phase, plans to target both livestock feed production and fresh produce markets with its dual-revenue model. Initial production will focus 60 per cent on fodder feed to reduce import dependency for livestock farms, with 40 per cent dedicated to fresh produce for hospitals, schools and premium retail chains. "We founded Al Basateen Al Amrah with a compelling mission: to heal the land while nourishing the people," said Natasja van Der Linde, whose background spans diamond trading and generational agricultural knowledge. "Our inspiration arose from the pressing need to transition away from harmful, water-intensive agricultural practices toward sustainable, closed-loop systems."
The venture plans to produce approximately 1.5 to 2 tons of fodder feed daily from 20 hydroponic containers, alongside 50 to 60 tons of leafy greens annually from its vertical greenhouse facility. The system will utilise nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponics and AI-supported environmental controls to maximise production efficiency.
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