This startup wants to turn Dubai's desert into farmland
Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
In the Dubai desert, Norwegian startup Desert Control is working on an innovation -- made from just water and clay -- that turns desert sand into farmland. Scroll through to see more state-of-the-art farming technologies.
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Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
Desert Control says when its Liquid Nanoclay mixture is sprayed on sand, it forms a sponge-like layer in the soil that retains water and provides many plant-essential nutrients. Here, workers are harvesting a test crop of watermelons grown in the Dubai desert.
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Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
"Smart" farms are increasingly popular field in the Middle East, such as the joint venture between agri-tech firm Crop One Holdings and Emirates Flight Catering to build the world's largest vertical farm.
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Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
Crops in vertical farms are grown in controlled environments with a nutrient solution instead of soil, and LED lighting instead of sunlight.
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Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
Another UAE startup, Pure Harvest, uses high-tech smart greenhouses that maintain a controlled climate and optimal conditions for growing crops year-round.
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Photos: With the help of technology, vegetables can grow in unlikely places
The company established a proof-of-concept facility in the Abu Dhabi desert last year and produced several varieties of tomatoes.
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