Types of Farming
Autonomous farming
Kitchen garden
Aquaculture and Integrated farming
Genetic editing
Hydroponics
Alternative proteins
Vertical Farming
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What is it?.
Is it used in the UAE?
Pros
Cons
What is it?
Genetic editing/ genome editing is a group of technologies that give scientists the ability to change and edit an organism's DNA. This helps us to improve our understanding of gene function and develop ways to use it to treat genetic or acquired diseases.
Pros
Pros:
Faster and more accurate diagnosis for diseases.
Prevention of genetic disorders
Extend Lifespan
Pest Resilient Crops
Is it used in the UAE?
Researchers in the UAE use the gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 to understand disease mechanisms which might provide an opportunity to develop novel therapies.
Cons
Safety concerns
Extremely costly
.
Pros
What is Hydroponics?
Higher plant density.
Plants can grow anywhere.
Less water consumption.
Fewer pest problems.
Easier to harvest
An extended growing season
Cons:
Requires constant monitoring and maintenance
Expensive to set up
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Is it used in the UAE?
The UAE currently has over 1,000 hydroponic farms. Hydroponic farms are perfect for the UAE because they save about 60-70% of water and can be grown indoors- not dependent on outdoor conditions.
Hydroponics is a type of horticulture and a subset of hydroculture that involves growing plants, usually crops, without soil, by using mineral nutrient solutions.
Pros
It wastes far less water than traditional methods of farming.
It does not use soil.
It is not dependent on weather conditions.
It requires very few pesticides.
Cons
It creates a high carbon footprint.
It is very expensive.
It requires more research before it can be used in mass amounts.
Is it used in the UAE?
The UAE uses vertical farming because of the low amounts of soil found in the region. Vertical Farming is also not dependent on weather conditions so it is perfect for the UAE. The country also has plenty of money to pay for Vertical farming.
Integrated aquaculture is when different species are cultured together utilizing the same water source. One type of system is aquaponics, in which fish and plants are grown together. The waste of fish is a magnificent fertilizer. Thus, when the soil encounters the fish stool, the loam becomes more nutritional for the plants.
It requires a lot of manual labour
It is sustainable.
It increases the quality of organic fertilizer.
It reduces fertilizer costs
It is less dependent on chemicals.
It uses less land and fewer resources
In the U.A.E aquaculture contributes to economic growth, food security and replenishing fisheries. There are 5 licensed aquaculture operations in Abu Dhabi with approximately AED 18.16 million farm gate value.
What is it?
A kitchen garden is a garden or area where vegetables, fruit, or herbs are grown for domestic use
Pros
You can get fresh herbs whenever you want.
You know exactly what you're putting in your food.
It is a lot cheaper.
It is a lot healthier.
It is extremely calming and a good exercise.
Cons
It is very time-consuming
It is quite hard at first
It can be extremely risky and could cause illness if not done right.
Is it used in the UAE?
There are a variety of crops that can be grown in the UAE. Herbs and dates grow the best. However, finding rich soil can be a problem.
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Pros
What is it?
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lower carbon emissions
Good source of protein and fat
Requires less land and water to be produced
Are grown cruelty-free
Cons
Production systems reliant on the environment are cheaper but less efficient
Highly processed products, such as meat substitutes, may require high energy costs
What is it?
Autonomous farming is a method of agriculture that allows farming equipment to operate without manual labour.
Pros
Is it used in the UAE?
Increases
Efficiency
Productivity
Profitability
Lowers investment costs
Reduces .
Error
Re-work
Risk-rates
No, autonomous farming is not currently used in the UAE. But they are taking the initiative to introduce it in the future.
Alternative proteins are plant-based and food-technology alternatives to animal protein. They include food products made from plants, fungus, algae, insects and even lab-grown meat
Is it used in the UAE?
UAE is on board the alternative protein journey. It is estimated that By 2040, the majority of protein consumed by people in the UAE, will not come from animals, but rather from plant substitutes or cultivated meat.
By Rida Balchandani
What is it?
Vertical farming is where crops are grown under artificial conditions of light and temperature.