Today's Edition
SULTANA OTHMAN KHAWLA ALI (DUBAI) - Rooted in the firm belief that sustainable agriculture plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, environmentally friendly farming methods have sparked a surge of interest in miniature home gardens equipped with innovative technologies, fostering self-sufficiency and food security.
Innovative Techniques
Iman Al Marri, a specialist in organic farming, said that sustainable agriculture involves practices that preserve soil, protect natural resources, conserve water, maintain ecological balance and pollination functions. The responsibility for achieving this falls on farmers through the use of environmentally friendly agricultural technologies, thereby transforming gardens into miniature farms.
Al Marri pointed out the role of amateur farmers, even if modest, in improving life quality using innovative agricultural techniques. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers, replacing them with natural pest-repellent materials, investing in soil by creating diverse microbial life, thereby increasing soil efficiency and providing plants with natural nutrients. This leads to abundant harvests with minimal costs and losses.
Organic farming methods such as homemade compost and “Bokashi” – a simple and effective way to compost organic and food waste – can be used as examples of recycling kitchen and home waste.
An Inspiring Experience
According to Al Marri, locally grown vegetables are more beneficial than those imported from countries with different climates. Local farming also has a positive economic and social impact by creating jobs for local workers, thus enhancing the local economy.
Local agriculture can contribute to providing healthy, locally made food to the community. Al Marri shared her personal experience in gardening, demonstrating its benefits and impact. “The experience is inspiring and rewarding through the cultivation of vegetables and herbs in my home garden, where I felt a strong connection with nature and began to discover the importance of sustainable agriculture, believing that these small efforts can greatly contribute to preserving our environment and its sustainability.”
Sustainable development Hazza Al-Kutbi, owner of a fig farm, said: “The importance of local agriculture in achieving sustainable development in economic, social, and also environmental areas is evident to everyone. Local farm products contribute to market price control and provide consumers with suitable prices, resulting from the proliferation of a large number of farms in the country with modern systems and technologies.
This is in addition to the government’s support for farmers and encouraging them to produce and invest in this field to achieve food security that many communities aspire to. To encourage farmers to continue in this field, competitions and exhibitions are held, including the Sheikh Mansour Agriculture Award, which is a significant incentive for farmers to compete in this field.”
Dr. Sultana Osman, a consultant in psychotherapy and family therapy, presented the first Emirati innovative model for sustainable home farming based on aeroponic technology, preserving natural resources and saving water and soil.
“The home farm is a step towards achieving food security, economic, social, and also environmental sustainability. It is advisable to use innovative agricultural techniques that contribute to the abundant production of crops without depleting environmental resources such as water and soil, while innovatively utilising space to transform them into a miniature home farm,” she said.
Dr. Sultana relies on aeroponic technology, which is defined as the process of growing plants by suspending them separately in the air without soil. This technology is characterised by its ease of use and abundant production, as it depends on placing plant roots in nutrient solutions without a medium or soil, thus providing the best environment for oxygen and moisture.
This creates more balanced conditions for the utilisation of nutrients, and the plants grow and develop quickly in it.
Tomatoes, strawberries, lettuce, leafy vegetables, and herb plants are among the most suitable plants for cultivation using this technology.
