WATCH: Around 2,000 ostriches live on UAE’s most unique farm – News

The fully sustainable farm includes an abattoir, tannery, mini-market and camping area for these prehistoric birds

We’ve all heard of traditional farm animals—cows, chickens, goats, sheep, even camels. Common poultry and livestock are now being raised on UAE farmland, as in many countries in the region. But today, an unusual farm, the largest known in the GCC, is catering to the most exclusive tastes and cleverly combining South African lucrative industries with Emirati farming know-how.

Situated in the Nahel area of ​​Al Ain, the 68,000-square-meter Ostrich Oasis was generously gifted by the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and is home to some 2,000 prehistoric birds. Birds first set foot on Earth about 25 million years ago.

During the farm’s recent soft opening, founder and chairman Fahed Alketbi told Khaleej Times: “I wanted to start something different. People usually keep camels, sheep or goats. I was trying to do something new.

“I started with 15 ostriches from the old farm and I would like to thank Sheikh Mohammad for giving us this land to start our business, which was a major factor in the success of this project.”

The farm was originally established in 2012 and continued to grow before launching an intensive breeding program in 2017.

Alketbi explained that the benefits of farming ostriches compared to cow production are its sustainable resource, including environmental benefits, high profit margins and versatility, as all aspects of the bird can be exploited.

“Ostriches are a good food source. Each year, an ostrich can produce up to 30 chicks, while a cow produces a calf. Our plan is to breed approximately 3,000 chicks per year, resulting in approximately 120 tons of meat.”

“Ostriches also consume far less than other animals, and the birds don’t produce a lot of waste, which helps keep the environment clean. As a sustainable business, they generate better production value.”

The farm’s general manager, Dr Wim Raath, a South African, added: “Ostrich Oasis is not just a farm, it’s an industry. We use all the components of the bird. We use its hide, its feathers, and then Its meat. We have 15 other vertical lines from an ostrich.”

“There are a lot of people in the UAE who have never seen an ostrich and they can’t believe we have 2,000 of them here!”

Dr Raath explained that the farm has created a new industry to support the UAE’s food security goals. “We are contributing to initiatives in the UAE. Everything we do on the farm is about environmental sustainability and food security. We have started a campaign to introduce new products that can not only be launched locally, It can also be launched internationally,” he said.

The farm includes a halal slaughterhouse, a tannery run by Emirati company EBL, which processes ostrich hides into various leather goods such as Arabian sandals, a small supermarket and a camping area. The farm is currently in talks with retail giant Lulu Group International to resume selling their ostrich meat, which was on the market between 2018 and 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic halted production.

V Nandakumar, Director of Marketing and Communications at Lulu, told the Khaleej Times, “We plan to sign a memorandum of understanding with Ostrich Oasis at the Gulfood event, where we will also officially announce our partnership to sell ostrich meat,” adding that the ostrich meat will be sold at Sales across the GCC, not just the UAE.

Al Ain resident Clarise Esterhuyse, 23, who visited the farm during its soft opening, said: “I’m from South Africa, so I see ostriches a lot there…you’ll find them It’s also very adaptable here because they can live anywhere.”

Courtney Doonan, a 25-year-old Dubai resident who spent the night camping at the farm, described her experience: “I learned a lot. We camped here last night and when the ostriches settled down to roost we heard Their voices are amazing because they make sounds like lions; it’s just beautiful to be with the ostriches and be with so many people who are also enjoying the experience.”

The farm is currently open to the public two days a month (first weekend). Open 7 days a week from September, new facilities will be introduced including a gift and art shop, a cafe, a school and education center for university students and an exotic restaurant serving delicious ostrich meat dishes.