Self-sufficiency in food is important for any country, and it can lead to some strange developments, such as the fields of crops that were perfect circles or semicircles because of the design of the irrigation system, surrounded by the arid deserts of Saudi Arabia.
Because of the extreme heat, lack of rainfall and desert conditions, it is extremely difficult to grow crops in the Gulf states and they end up importing the vast majority of what they eat, either by air – which is very expensive – or by ship, which means that the food is often in poor condition by the time it arrives.
But one company has found a way to harness the harsh conditions of the Arabian peninsula and grow fresh food all year round. Pure Harvest, a start-up based in the United Arab Emirates. It produces, locally, a range of crops for the Gulf states markets, including berries, tomatoes, leafy greens and peppers – produce that would otherwise have to be flown in from other parts of the world.
“We use controlled environment agriculture, a term that covers everything from net and drip irrigation to AI-powered farms with full climate control depending on the climate and the crops you are dealing with,” says Sky Kurtz, CEO. “We are technology-agnostic – we use the lowest cost solution that is technologically acceptable. Our facilities are high-tech, climate-controlled greenhouses that make use of the natural light in the desert but can be closed to regulate the climate.”
Growing markets
The company has facilities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and is planning further projects in Kuwait, Singapore and Morocco. “Singapore is heavily dependent on food imports and is looking to boost the resilience of its food system by having more domestic food production,” he adds. “In Morocco, the idea would be to serve the European market. We’re looking for markets that are underserved in seasonally dependent products. Anywhere that airfreights a lot of food, crops that are water-intensive and perishable within 14 days, there is an argument for nearshoring production. Because of climate change, the future opportunity is immense.”
The company’s operations are a lot more resource-efficient, Kurtz says, using a seventh of the water that a typical greenhouse in the Middle East does, and a thirtieth of the water used in traditional agriculture (although that is typically in areas with much better water resources). Nonetheless, as the impacts of climate change increase, “water is the major constraint on traditional agriculture,” he adds.
“We also use very little fertilizer, we recirculate our water and instead of pesticides, we use natural predators to tackle pests.” In Singapore, Pure Harvest will use a lot less water because of the high levels of rainfall, and by growing produce locally, the firm reduces emissions from air freight.
The energy challenge
The key challenge for controlled environment agriculture is that it can be very energy-intensive, although greenhouses have far lower costs for lighting than say, a vertical farm that uses no natural lighting. “We go where the sun is because light is important to us,” Kurtz points out. “But there’s no doubt that energy is a big challenge.” However, where there is sun, there is also the possibility of solar power and we are increasingly using renewable power where we can. Our facility in Saudi Arabia sources 80% of its power from a solar farm, for example. And if the water we use comes from desalination plants, which require a huge amount of power to run, being able to use less water saves a huge amount of energy.”
Another challenge for the sector is that it is pretty capital-intensive, and the company, which has raised $287 million to date, is looking for more funding. But the opportunity is huge, Kurtz contends. “We have decoupled food production from the climate and married it to technology. It is entirely possible to produce food anywhere in the world, including the very harshest environments. It’s just a question of capital and energy availability.”
