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Hatch & Boost Ventures, an Abu Dhabi-based venture capital firm focused on “incubating” startup ideas, announced the launch of its first agritech startup in its portfolio World of Farming (WoF).
As the world faces an unprecedented food security challenge, compounded by rising global temperatures and pressures from limited water supplies, World of Agriculture (WoF) is introducing a first-of-its-kind method of hydroponics (livestock feed) farming for meat and The development of the dairy industry towards the Middle East market aims to address these challenges and increase the sustainability of the industry.
The UAE and other Gulf countries are known to have harsh agricultural conditions due to high temperatures, scarcity of arable land and limited freshwater resources.
vertical farming model
As a result, 80-90% of the food in the UAE is imported, including livestock feed. In line with the UAE’s National Food Strategy 2051, WoF’s vertical farming model will enable local farmers to independently, efficiently and more sustainably produce fresh, cost-effective local alternatives to internationally imported animal feed.
The startup will do this with its patent-pending proprietary method, “The Cattleyst.” This complete circular approach to agriculture sustainably produces livestock feed through a closed-loop system that reduces methane emissions into the atmosphere.
This approach will provide the local dairy and meat industries with highly nutritious, herbicide- and pesticide-free animal feed at a lower cost, using up to 90% less water and land area than conventional farming up to 90% reduction.
emission of greenhouse gases
“Today, livestock farming is one of the most damaging industries on the planet, directly responsible for 14% of greenhouse gas emissions, and more than 50,000 acres of forests worldwide are deforested by farmers and loggers every day. This extreme land clearing results in habitat loss , greenhouse gas amplification and disruptions to the water cycle. Combined with the impact of large-scale international shipping and massive water consumption, the snowball effect of the unprecedented global challenges we are seeing will continue to gather pace if we don’t act today,” the CEO said. Officer and manager Faris Mesmar said the incubation and boosting partners.
“With WoF, we are making farming more sustainable. WoF’s vertical farming technology will enable farmers to overcome their reliance on imported livestock feed by growing fresh and nutrient-dense animal feed on the farm. As more farmers grow Adopting our farming methods locally, our ultimate goal is to improve the agricultural sustainability of livestock and supply chains, and the customers they serve on a regional and global scale,” said Dr Walid Saad, CEO and Co-Founder of WoF .
Currently in private BETA, WoF’s proprietary software technology uses data to monitor and adjust farming parameters to determine the final environment for optimal farm output. Vertical farms use artificial intelligence and images to track crops through their growth cycle to determine health, growth rate and detect disease.
save costs
WoF aims to establish, operate and manage farms in the region, enabling farmers to enjoy cost-saving benefits by eliminating reliance on feed imports, nutrient losses from long-term storage, or logistics and storage costs.
“The launch of WoF comes at a time when the world is facing profound geopolitical challenges and tensions. Due to the current global crisis threatening food security, supply chain disruptions are severely impacting farmers and end customers. We look forward to scaling up WoF in the coming years to Accelerate the practice of sustainable agriculture in the UAE and support the UAE and the wider region to develop stronger food security for our region,” added Dr Saad.
WoF recently secured its first customer contract to build, operate and manage a fully integrated circular farm in the UAE with a total annual production capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes of fresh animal feed. This comes after the successful completion of its first prototype earlier this year.
fundraising
The startup is also currently raising capital to grow and expand its business and products across the wider MENA region, including Saudi Arabia.
WoF is also working with a number of local universities to empower youth and engage them in research and development programmes to develop local solutions that support national food security strategies. — arab trade news agency
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