Dubai launches new park for food firms in vertical farming push

Dubai: Dubai will build a new business park to host specialised agricultural firms as the Middle East’s business hub pushes for food security.

The first phase of the project, dubbed “Food Tech Valley,” will include headquarters, research and development facilities, innovation center, smart food logistics hub and areas for vertical farming, according to a tweet by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister and the Ruler of Dubai.

“We launched the first phase of Food Tech Valley, a new modern & vibrant city that will serve as a global destination for start-ups and industry experts in the food ecosystem. It will host R&D facilities, innovation center, smart food logistics hub and areas for vertical farming,” Sheikh Mohammed tweeted.

Dubai has been seeking to secure food supplies along with other sheikdoms in the United Arab Emirates federation. A global surge in food prices and the disruption to supply chains caused by the pandemic pushed the country to accelerate plans to grow more crops and farm more livestock. The oil-rich UAE currently imports about 90% of its food needs.

“The UAE’s food trade exceeds 100 billion ($27 billion) annually,” the Dubai’s ruler said in the tweet. “Our country is a global food logistics hub, and we will work to create a nurturing environment for agribusinesses to develop new farming technologies and enhance our future food security.”