It seems impossible to transform a barren piece of land into a crop and fish farm in just twenty years. But one UAE national overcame many challenges to create a green oasis in the desert, growing fields flooded with salt water.
The farm located in Al Ain produces more than 150 tonnes of the crop every year and cares for more than 200,000 tilapia fish using modern methods.
These days, this farm is one of the most popular among the many farms in the UAE, which is attracting the attention of experts, including farmers, due to its unique practices.
Abdul Rahman took charge of the farm in 2003 and faced problems such as high salinity of ground water. To solve these problems, they installed desalination equipment and set up an aquaculture system to provide clean and nutritious water.
When Abdulrahman started building his fish tank, he realized that fish need a lot of oxygen. Unfortunately, an oxygen generator failed one cold night, killing about 34,000 fish.
Despite this accident, Abdul Rahman did not lose heart. They distributed the tanks and created a backup system for emergencies. Fish ponds are made of strong plastic, which supports beneficial bacteria. These bacteria convert ammonia into nitrogen, which helps both fish and plants to thrive.
The farm also has a sustainable aquaculture system, where Abdul Rahman uses water from the fish ponds to irrigate the fields. Thus, they grow different crops without any greenhouse. Inspired by this unique approach, people in the UAE and around the world have started adopting similar practices.
Recently, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr Amina bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, praised the farm’s integrated agricultural system. “We have seen an innovative model combining aquaculture, poultry, livestock, and open field agriculture, which has the potential to be replicated across the country under the ‘Plant the Emirates’ initiative,” he said.
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