His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, made a visit to Bustanica, Dubai's recently opened vertical farm, spread over 330,000 square feet, making it the world’s largest hydroponic farm.
During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on the innovative technologies used in the state-of-the-art hydroponic farm, and said Dubai remains committed to maintaining the highest levels of food security with one of the world’s most comprehensive plans to address this vital issue.
"Under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, we will continue launching new initiatives that apply modern farming techniques to accelerate self-sufficiency in fresh food produce and support sustainability, which is a top priority for us," said His Highness Sheikh Hamdan.
"The Dubai Food Security Committee constantly reviews current opportunities and challenges within the national food security strategy framework. Our plans for enhancing self-sufficiency in the agricultural sector by supporting the use of technologies and applied research in food processing and agriculture are focused on meeting the current and future needs of Dubai’s citizens and residents," His Highness Sheikh Hamdan added.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan said, "The opening of the world’s largest vertical farm in Dubai reflects the high priority that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid's strategies place on long-term food security and the government’s commitment to making continuous investments to ensure sustainable growth,"
The Bustanica facility, located near Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Centra, has been developed by Emirates Crop One, a joint venture between Emirates Flight Catering, one of the world’s largest catering operations serving more than 100 airlines, and Crop One, an industry leader in technology-driven indoor vertical farming, and is geared to produce more than 1,000,000 kilograms of high-quality leafy greens annually while requiring 95% less water than conventional agriculture. At any point in time, the facility grows more than one million plants that provide an output of 3,000 kg per day.