As winter approaches, a pioneering 7,500sqm indoor vertical strawberry farm, the first of its kind in the region, will begin construction in Abu Dhabi to enhance sustainable agriculture and local production. Last month, Mawarid, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding headquartered in Abu Dhabi, partnered with California-based Plenty to establish the world's first vertical strawberry farm outside North America. Kashif Shamsi, Group CEO of Mawarid, emphasized that this joint venture aims to improve food security in the UAE and the region through advanced technology.
"This collaboration with Plenty allows us to utilize the most advanced global farming technology to boost local food supply across the GCC, starting with our base in Abu Dhabi. The Mawarid team possesses extensive experience in agriculture and land management in the Emirates, along with expertise in introducing various Agtech solutions," Shamsi explained to Khaleej Times. The Abu Dhabi project, with an investment of Dh500 million, marks the first of five planned farms over the next five years.
Construction of the Abu Dhabi strawberry farm is slated to commence this winter, with potential expansion opportunities across the GCC for additional farms. The farm is projected to yield over 2 million kg of strawberries annually. Initially focused solely on strawberries, future phases may include a variety of crops based on market demand.
The farm will employ cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, custom hardware, LED lighting, and proprietary software to optimize growing conditions and improve flavor and quality. Shamsi highlighted that the project will generate numerous job opportunities across various roles within the farm, including management, operations, production, maintenance, and quality.
He also noted that vertical farming technology provides substantial environmental benefits, such as 99% less land use and up to 90% less water consumption compared to traditional farming. This technology supports the UAE's food security and sustainability objectives, ensuring a stable, year-round supply of fresh produce with reduced transportation emissions.
Shamsi concluded that such initiatives enable the local market to enjoy premium strawberries with peak-season flavor grown locally year-round, contributing to the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the newly launched Agrifood Growth and Water Abundance cluster (AGWA).
