Tadweer is collaborating with British company Aquagrain, which has developed a soil enhancing technology that uses organic waste to enable crops to be grown in arid land, sandy soils or pots using up to 50% less water and inorganic fertilisers
The pilot project between the two companies is worth US$2.5mn. Aquagrain converts organic food industry waste into a biodegradable polymer that absorbs and releases water. The project is supported by a US$28mn (AED 100 million) R&D fund launched by ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company.
The project will see the first-ever commercial scale Aquagrain production facility built in Abu Dhabi with organic food industry waste, currently sent to landfill, converted into Aquagrain and used to produce food and reduce water and fertiliser use in farming and horticulture, diverting carbon away from the atmosphere and putting it back into the land.
In early 2023, Aquagrain was declared one of the four winners of the UAE’s FoodTech Challenge (FTC), organised by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and Tamkeen. The FTC is a global competition for the world’s innovative start-ups and provides a platform for solutions that address food security and ensure sustainability across the food supply chain and the planet.
Eng. Ali Al Dhaheri, managing director and CEO of Tadweer, said, “We are proud to partner with Aquagrain and introduce a vital soil improving technology that harnesses organic waste to significantly enhance the economic and innovative value of circularity in the waste management sector. Together, we are confident we can have a significant impact on sustainable and regenerative farming, delivering measurable progress towards reducing emissions, whilst increasing food and water security in the UAE and beyond.”
Paul Smith, CEO of Aquagrain, commented, “We are delighted to be working with Tadweer on this pilot project, which marks a significant milestone in Aquagrain’s development. Since setting up in the UAE earlier in 2023, it was clear that this is a nation not just talking about sustainability, but actively investing in achieving it. We felt that our technology could help meet the five key challenges to UAE food security and identified Tadweer as an ideal strategic partner to help us deliver Aquagrain’s impact not just in the UAE, but ultimately across the MENA region and the wider world.”
