Abu Dhabi: ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company, has announced the operational phase of its cutting-edge AgTech Park ecosystem with the launch of a vertical farming project in partnership with ZERO, a high-impact technology company headquartered in Italy. The ZERO project is the first of several agricultural concepts in the AgTech Park and will aim to promote indoor farming locally as well as expand desert-climate farming in the UAE.
The inaugural farming facility is situated in KEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi Group), the UAE’s largest operator and developer of fully integrated and specialised economic zones.
KEZAD has a well-established ecosystem for food industries across the entire value chain, thereby creating a strong base for growth, both for local producers and the food industry as a whole. Additional sites exploring different technologies will be launched in Al Ain Industrial City in the coming year.
The breakthrough technology utilized in the park for the first time in the UAE explores new solutions to help tackle the challenge of sustainably farming in arid and desert climates, allowing us to contribute to not only shortening but also ‘greening’ the food value chain, which is top of the agenda for policymakers around the world as we progress on our net zero journey.”
Gil Adotevi, Executive Director of Food and Agriculture at ADQ, shared.
The park was first revealed in August 2021, aiming to spearhead a variety of sustainable farming techniques as well as localise the food supply chain in accordance with the National Food Security Strategy 2050. It is estimated to contribute more than 7 percent to the UAE’s agriculture GDP once operating at full scale.
Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamsi, Managing Director and CEO of AD Ports Group, commented that “we are pleased to host Zero Farms as part of ADQ’s AgTech Park. KEZAD has a well-established ecosystem for the food industry that spans the entire value chain with a strong base for growth for both local producers and the food industry as a whole.”
Mr. Daniele Modesto, Chief Executive Officer of ZERO, remarked that “vertical farms respond to the urgent need to rethink agriculture, making it more environmentally friendly and sustainable in a world prioritising the responsible use of resources. We are exceptionally proud to partner with ADQ as a forward thinker in the local food and agriculture sector to bring our vertical farming capabilities to the UAE.”