Abu Dhabi agricultural technology company Silal inked a technology partnership with Agritek, a major UAE farming projects developer, to build large-scale technology solutions that will boost food quality and variety in the emirate.
The partnership will help Silal deliver on a commitment to upgrade 80 farms over the next two years with new smart monitoring and irrigation technology and to train farmers on the new systems. Last month, the company said it planned to invest $54 million in the project.
"This [partnership] falls within our remit to introduce proven technologies suitable for desert farming – ones that help leverage the food and agriculture ecosystem in the UAE,” Jamal Al Dhaheri, chief executive of Silal, said in a statement on Thursday.
The UAE, which imports as much as 90 per cent of its food, according to one estimate by Chatham House, announced a national food security strategy in 2018. Since then, Abu Dhabi has invested tens of millions of dollars into AgTech start-ups, with a focus on technology-based solutions to boost food production, including automation, robotics and novel approaches to greenhouse or vertical farming.
Silal is a part of that effort, formed in September 2020 and part of Abu Dhabi holding company ADQ's portfolio to diversify sources of food and stimulate local agriculture production.
Under the new agreement, Agritek will develop farms for Silal and contracted farmers leveraging modern irrigation and climate control management systems. These technologies will provide the optimum conditions for crops to grow, increase the efficacy of resource use, and boost farms’ operational efficiency. Modern nurseries will also be built to improve the quality of seedlings and seeds provided to farmers.
The company also executes specialised knowledge-transfer programmes on desert farming techniques, and devises research and development projects to support the increase in local production of fruits and vegetables for smallholder farmers in the UAE.
Last month, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority launched a new development plan aimed at increasing the efficiency of sustainable farming to support the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 initiative.
The new measures require farmers to improve water usage in the emirate and reduce reliance on its finite supply of groundwater.
Farmers will be encouraged to use recycled or desalinated water sources and cultivate crops that consume less water and are more resilient to the hot, salty climate of the UAE.
Laws governing water consumption will also be introduced.
Stage 3 results
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 4:42:33
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:03
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:30
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:56
General Classification after Stage 3:
1 Adam Yates (GBR) Mitchelton-Scott 12:30:02
2 Tadej Pocagar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates 0:01:07
3 Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ) Astana 0:01:35
4 David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 0:01:40
5 Rafal Majka (POL) Bora-Hansgrohe
6 Wilco Kelderman (NED) Team Sunweb) 0:02:06
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs
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Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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Hachette Books
Company%20profile
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The specs
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
Imperial%20Island%3A%20A%20History%20of%20Empire%20in%20Modern%20Britain
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
