"iO Innovation Oasis" and"Square Roots" They sign an agreement to develop smart desert agriculture solutions
Abu Dhabi, December 11 / WAM / Innovation Oasis “iO”, the advanced research and development center of “Silal” in Abu Dhabi, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the international company “Square Roots”. With the aim of developing innovative solutions for desert agriculture and disseminating sustainable agricultural practices based on artificial intelligence in the UAE.
This partnership comes to combine Innovation Oasis’ expertise in transforming agricultural technologies, and Square Roots’ specialty in modular indoor farming systems enhanced by artificial intelligence, in an effort to develop sustainable solutions that suit local environmental challenges.
Under the agreement, Square Roots will establish an advanced research facility within the Innovation Oasis headquarters, powered by artificial intelligence and managed entirely via the cloud.
This facility will be designated as a national platform for developing indoor and desert agriculture by conducting advanced research on crops adapted to desert environments, energy-saving plant genetic technologies, modular and scalable farming systems, in addition to applications of generative artificial intelligence in the agricultural field. The partnership also aims to accelerate the transformation of the outputs of this research into practical solutions that are commercially applicable in the local market.
The initiative aims to develop strategic innovative paths that include the production of crops adapted to low light that can reduce energy consumption by up to 40%, based on Square Roots research supported by the Gates Foundation.
It also focuses on identifying economically viable crops for desert environments, diversifying the locally produced basket, and designing smart agricultural tools supported by artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and rationalize resource consumption.
In a related context, the “Training Next Generation Farmers” program will be developed to keep pace with the needs of national cadres of scientists, agricultural engineers and Emirati farmers, which will enhance local capacity building in the field of advanced agriculture.
The company will also work on developing a customized version of its standard indoor agricultural platform, specifically designed to suit the needs of smallholder farmers, by providing integrated solar-powered systems that are scalable according to future requirements.
In parallel, a specialized farm for research and development will be established within the Innovation Oasis site, based on the advanced technologies of “Square Roots” to support scientific research programs, joint cooperation projects, and research and development initiatives adopted by “Selal”, which will enhance the agricultural innovation system in the country.
His Excellency Dhafer Rashid Al Qasimi, CEO of Sellal Group, stressed that this cooperation represents a strategic expansion in the innovation oasis’ global partnership network, and enhances efforts to attract the latest agricultural technologies to Abu Dhabi, confirming the UAE’s leadership in the fields of climate-smart agriculture and sustainable desert solutions.
He added: This cooperation, by integrating advanced research with smart tools and competency development programs, will achieve a qualitative leap in enhancing sustainable food production and raising the agricultural sector’s readiness for future requirements and climate challenges.
For his part, Kimbal Musk, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Square Roots, said: This partnership embodies a shared vision to redefine the future of agriculture in dry areas, as it will combine our expertise in climate-controlled agriculture techniques and crop science, with Abu Dhabi’s advanced vision in the field of sustainable agriculture, which will accelerate the development of practical solutions that enhance food security and improve resource efficiency, and provide applicable models in the Emirates and desert regions around the world.
This partnership strengthens Abu Dhabi’s position as a global center for advanced agriculture, by providing a real testing platform for emerging agricultural technologies in actual desert conditions, paving the way for commercial agricultural models adapted to the country’s climate.
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