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An Oman-based company has teamed up with an agritech startup from the US to transform farming practices across the GCC.
As a part of a new strategic joint-venture between Nailesh Kanaksi Khimji (NKK) Investments and UrbanKisaan, the companies plan to introduce advanced hydroponic and vertical farming technology to Oman. The partnership seeks to empower local agriculturalists to cultivate higher yields with fewer resources by employing technology that will allow crops to grow with minimal water and land utilisation. The practice is expected to amplify output, reduce costs, and decrease the overall carbon footprint.
Plans also include extending this technology to benefit farms in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The GCC has been actively implementing long-term food security measures to reduce its reliance on imports of agricultural produce. Countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait have been formulating national food strategies to boost domestic production and build reserve capacity.
Additionally, these countries have also embraced agritech, such as vertical farming and digital tools, to enhance supply chains and increase food production. In response to unfavourable climate conditions for agriculture, Saudi Arabia and the UAE have also invested in farmlands overseas.
(Writing by Bindu Rai, editing by Brinda Darasha)
