Baby Potatoes Grown in Dubai’s Vertical Farm
Among the vegetables that will be cultivated in Dubai’s vertical farm are baby potatoes. The farm in the middle of the desert was created by Pure Food Technology, a sustainable agriculture and food technology firm located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), to produce fresh veggies in a regulated industrial environment.
Robotics, solar power, artificial intelligence, and patent-pending technology power this vertical hydroponic garden.
“This system has been specifically developed for the desert, where water resources are scarce but sunlight is readily available. With minimum interference and with the robotics and AI all you need will be a source of water and solar energy,” Sebastian Carlton, CEO of Pure Food Technology, mentioned cited by Khaleej Times.
The experimental vertical farm, situated in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area, grows vegetable crops without soil by utilizing cutting-edge farming methods. With this technique, plant roots are allowed to grow in a deep-water culture while soil is substituted with a nutrient-rich water solution.
Along with helping the welfare of workers in the UAE by providing fresh produce from its factory to labor camps, this sustainable start-up is also giving back to the community.
Because of its total automation, this vertical farm requires as little human involvement as possible during the farming process. The farm uses automation and AI to ensure accurate and efficient operations from planting to packaging.
Carlton emphasized the significance of investing in upcoming technologies to meet food demands.
“As the population grows, the only way to feed these populations is by investing new technology into farming,” the CEO of Pure Food Technology shared.
He also highlighted how this technological breakthrough enables the UAE to become self-reliant in food production, aligning with the country’s vision of sustainability, and renewable energy utilization.
He went on to discuss the drawbacks of using conventional agricultural methods. Food has always been grown close to water sources or in areas with suitable weather. Demand for food is significantly hampered by geographic dependence.
“When we consider how we can revolutionize agriculture, we must focus on utilizing the land and not limit ourselves to any area. With this system, we can plant anywhere in the desert. One of our devices also filters the water to suit the seeds, so any water can be used, whether salty water or unfiltered, so we don’t limit ourselves to water as well,” Sebastian Carlton concluded.
