Agriculture, hydroponics, vertical farming, aquaponics, technology, ORGABONK, sustainability, food security, land resources, water resources, farming techniques.
Hamed Alhammadi, a UAE citizen, founded the “Grassia Group” in Al Bahia, Abu Dhabi, with a vision to promote sustainable agriculture and efficient utilization of natural resources. Starting with one farm, the group has now expanded to approximately 200 farms across the country, producing 15 tons of diverse agricultural crops per day, using modern technologies to enhance sustainable agriculture. Alhammadi believes that the widespread expansion of citizen-owned farms in the UAE reflects a deep-rooted social awareness of the importance of agricultural development and food security.
The UAE government has emphasized the importance of developing a sustainable agriculture sector and increasing the contribution of agriculture to the country’s gross domestic product while reducing dependence on imports. Alhammadi’s project originated from his Master’s degree studies in strategic leadership and change management at a British university, where he decided to start a sustainable agriculture project to contribute to changing the dominant agricultural pattern.
Another innovative technique is aquaponics, which combines aquaculture and hydroponics. This method involves cultivating fish and plants together in a closed-loop system, where the waste produced by fish is used as nutrients for plants. This technique not only saves water but also reduces the need for chemical fertilizers.
Agriculture technology is also contributing significantly to revolutionizing agriculture. For instance, a new electronic system called ORGABONK has been developed, which combines aquaculture, hydroponics, and soil-based farming in a single system. This system helps to make efficient use of land and water resources and increase the variety of crops produced.
The use of innovative farming techniques and technology has already shown promising results. For instance, the production of nurseries in traditional farming used to be limited to 2,000 seedlings at best, but with the help of hydroponics, one farm produced 500,000 seedlings in a year. This not only increases the yield but also helps to conserve water, which is often overused in traditional farming methods.
