iFarm Technologies Announces Launch Of First Vertical Farm in Dubai

iFarm is actually a vertical farming technologies provider. Recently, it announced the launch of the first vertical farm in the UAE. The vertical farm will be located in Dubai. It will be the first farm in Dubai to use iFarm technologies and will produce ultra-fresh leafy greens, baby leaves, microgreens, herbs, and edible flowers for premium retail and HoReCa.

Dubai Opens First Vertical Farm with iFarm Technologies in the UAE

According to Data Bridge, the farming market of the Middle East and Africa is expected to reach USD 6225.19 million by 2030. It will be growing at a CAGR of 21.7% from 2023 to 2030. Reports claim that this growth rate is attributed to different factors. For instance, historically high demand for locally produced food in the region has increased the growth rate. Some food security policies also played a significant role in high-tech farming investments. The support from governments of countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates also played an important role in the growth rate.

Now, let’s talk about the newly started vertical farm. It is equipped with iFarm technologies in Dubai. In addition, it aims to meet the city’s need for top-quality fresh produce. Reports claim that the yield will be delivered to restaurants, hotels, and resorts, as well as to retail chains such as Spinneys, Geant, Grandiose, and Carrefour for further sale. The best part is that it is just a 30-minute drive from the heart of Dubai. The vertical farm covers a growing area of 712 m² and is anticipated to yield around 3 tonnes of produce per month. The farm will work under the Mama Natura Greens brand.

It is the first farm in the world to use the new iFarm Multigreens technology. It is not only designed for microgreens but for full-cycle greens cultivation in a shared growing space using the Ebb & Flow irrigation method. The benefits of flexible zoning will allow for redistributing areas among different crops including microgreens, baby leaves, and leafy greens. However, it all depends on the current market demand, business goals, and seasonality. Alexander Lyskovsky, CEO of iFarm stated:

“Nearly a year ago, iFarm shifted its headquarters to Abu Dhabi. Since then, there have been two fully operational farms built with iFarm technologies in the GCC region: One is the Bather Smart Farm in Saudi Arabia while the other is the newly launched Multigreens farm in the UAE. The Emirates has proved itself as a thriving Food and beverage hub where the consumption of ultra-fresh greens and herbs has grown significantly over the last years. More and more executives of the HoReCa sector prefer high-quality foods produced locally in a sustainable way. For instance, large hotels like The Royal Atlantis consume up to 50-60 kg of fresh greens per day. Currently, we are reconciling the supply of vertical farming equipment to several other customers in the Emirates.” 

Reports claim that the UAE’s consumption of greens was about 22.9 thousand tons back in 2021. It had an estimated value of USD 49.1 million. These figures are anticipated to grow further due to the expanding urban population, increasing economic prosperity, and the growth of the expatriate community.