As global resource allocation and food security issues gain traction, many countries are working to preserve food, develop irrigation methods, and find ways to produce more edible crops and fruits. Examples include Norway's Svalbard globale frøhvelv (seed bank) and Israel's drip irrigation system. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also working on the GigaFarm, a "super-large vertical farm" it has recently begun building and implementing.
GigaFarm plans to build another vertical farm covering an area of 83,000 square meters
Dubai previously announced the opening of the world's largest vertical farm in 2022. This indoor farm, covering approximately 31,000 square meters, is located within Al Maktoum International Airport, approximately 40 kilometers from downtown Dubai. The farm features towers of boxes and trays filled with a variety of crops, requiring minimal soil and water to survive and capable of producing approximately one million kilograms of high-quality vegetables annually.
However, as the saying goes, "the disciple surpasses the master." Meanwhile, across the border in Dubai, the GigaFarm project has begun to build a "super-giant farm." This project was signed by Dubai authorities and the emerging agricultural company ReFarm at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). The project targets new vertical farms that will be 12 meters tall and cover approximately 83,000 square meters. Not only will these be larger than previous vertical farms, but their operations will also differ, resulting in more efficient production.
According to CNN, this US$320 million (approximately NT$10 billion) project will start construction at the end of this year (2024) and is expected to be officially opened in 2026.
Making agriculture more earth-friendly: Growing vegetables could offset 1% of the UAE's food imports
GigaFarm will utilize a series of specialized technologies to transform potential waste products, such as wastewater and food scraps, into fertilizer, feed, irrigation water, and even energy. Oliver Christof, CEO of Christof Global Impact, the company behind ReFarm, explained that this self-sustaining technology not only reduces carbon emissions during vegetable cultivation and production, but will also produce approximately 3 million tons of vegetables and spices, potentially offsetting 1% of the UAE's food imports.
GigaFarm, a vertical farm partnering with the Scottish agricultural startup Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), utilizes "growth towers" resembling car parks to stack crops in layers. By creating and controlling the optimal growing environment, the plants are watered and fertilized at regular intervals. "I can only say that if you put 200 of these boxes and pallets in one place and manage them, you could essentially create a GigaFarm," he said.
Vertical farms primarily rely on hydroponics, and GigaFarm is no exception. Each tray of crops uses the same growing medium, such as compost or coconut fiber, rather than traditional soil. LED light strips installed beneath each tray provide the necessary artificial sunlight for the crops below. Other factors that may affect crop growth rate and quality, such as temperature, humidity, water content, and nutrient availability, can be controlled based on the current plant conditions.
Will the UAE's attempt at self-sufficiency change its demand for food imports in the future?
Given that the theme of COP28 held in Dubai last year was "food security", the local government has gained a clearer understanding of the problem of domestic food imports.
Rohit Sharma, a supply chain expert at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), noted that the UAE still relies heavily on imports for its food needs. With up to 85% of its food imported from other countries, the region is vulnerable to supply chain disruptions and delivery delays, as exemplified by the pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war.
Although the UAE wants to avoid importing too many foreign vegetables and other crops by building its own vertical farms, it will probably take some time for these vertical farms to be able to "move in" and create economic benefits for the UAE. In addition, more research will be needed to expand the types of crops that can be grown vertically.
This article is reprinted with permission from Critical Commentary. The original title is "UAE Plans 'GigaFarm,' Vegetable Harvest Could Cover 1% of Food Imports." It is not licensed under the Creative Commons License.
References：
*CNN（2024.3.13），Vertical farming: This GigaFarm in Dubai’s desert could produce 3 million kilograms of food
*Dubaieye 103.8（2023.12.6），Dubai to build ‘GigaFarm’, able to replace 1％ of UAE food imports
*The National News（2023.12.6），Dubai’s Food Tech Valley and ReFarm to build a hi-tech gigafarm
Source: Environmental Information Center
