As global resource distribution and food issues receive attention, many countries are making efforts in food preservation, research and development of irrigation methods, and how to produce more edible crops, fruits and vegetables. Such as Norway’s seed bank (Svalbard globale frøhvelv), Israel’s drip irrigation system (Drip irrigation system), etc. The “super-large vertical farm” GigaFarm, which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently committed to building and implementing, is also one of them.
►Dubai announced the launch of the world’s largest “Vertical Farm” in 2022. Image source: Intelligent Growth Solution (IGS)
GigaFarm plans to build another vertical farm covering an area of 83,000 square meters
Dubai previously announced the launch of the world's largest "Vertical Farm" in 2022. This indoor farm covering an area of approximately 31,000 square meters is located at the Al Maktoum International Airport, approximately 40 kilometers away from downtown Dubai. The stacked boxes and pallets on the farm contain various crops, which not only require a small amount of soil and water to survive, but can also successfully harvest approximately one million kilograms of high-quality vegetables every year.
However, as the saying goes, "It's better to learn from the past than the past." On the other side of Dubai, the GigaFarm project has also begun to be implemented to build a "super giant farm." This super giant farm project is a plan signed by the Dubai authorities and the emerging agricultural enterprise "ReFarm" at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28). The new vertical farm to be built under the plan is 12 meters high and covers an area of about 83,000 square meters. It is not only larger than the previous vertical farm, but also operates in a different way, making production more efficient.
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.
Make agriculture more friendly to the earth, growing vegetables can account for 1% of the food imports of the United Arab Emirates
GigaFarm will use a series of special technologies to turn "waste" such as wastewater and food residues into fertilizer, feed, irrigation water, and even energy. Oliver Christof, CEO of "Christof Global Impact", the large company behind ReFarm, said that this "self-sufficient" technology not only reduces carbon emissions during the cultivation and production of vegetables, but also produces approximately Three million tons of vegetables and spices can offset 1% of the food imports of the United Emirates.
GigaFarm vertical farm collaborates with Scottish agricultural start-up Intelligent Growth Solution (IGS) to use "growth towers" like car parking towers to stack crops on top of each other and create And control the environment most suitable for crop growth, watering and fertilizing plants regularly and quantitatively. "It can only be said that if 200 such boxes and pallets are managed in the same place, we can actually add GigaFarm." He said.
Basically, the planting method of vertical farms is based on "hydroponics", and GigaFarm is no exception. The crops on each box pallet are grown on the same growing substrate, such as compost or coconut fiber, rather than traditional soil. The LED light strips installed under each box tray will also provide the "artificial sunlight" necessary for the growth of the underlying crops. Other factors that may affect the growth rate and quality of crops, such as temperature, humidity, moisture, nutrients, etc., can be controlled through the current condition of the plants.
Is the UAE's attempt to be "self-sufficient" expected to change its food import demand in the future?
In view of the fact that the theme of COP28 held in Dubai last year was "food security", it also gave the local government a clearer understanding of the problem of domestic food imports.
Rohit Sharma, a supply chain expert at the University of Wollongong, Dubai (UOWD), said that so far, the United Arab Emirates still mainly relies on imports for its food needs. Up to 85% of domestic food is imported from other countries, which also makes the local area less able to withstand the impact of supply chain interruptions or delayed deliveries. Previous epidemics, the Ukraine-Russia war, etc. are all good cases.
Although the UAE wants to avoid importing too many foreign vegetables and other crops by building its own vertical farms, it may take some time for these vertical farms to be able to "move" and create economic benefits for the UAE. More research is needed to expand the types of crops that can be grown vertically.
※ This article is reprinted with permission from the "Key Commentary Network". The original title is "The United Arab Emirates plans a "super large vertical farm" GigaFarm, and the harvest of vegetables can offset 1% of food imports". CC co-creation licensing terms do not apply.
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
