Dubai farm's underground irrigation could save a trillion litres of water a year

A Dubai farm is at the centre of a project which it says could save a trillion litres of water a year in the UAE.

This equates to roughly the amount used by half the emirate's population.

Tests have been conducted since 2019 at the Al Awir date farm – on the outskirts of the city – which has more than 1,260 date palm trees.

The farm has teamed up with an agritech company, Terraplus Solutions, to implement an underground watering system that reduces the amount of water lost through traditional irrigation methods, which can be as high as 30 per cent.

“We are creating a solution to the issue of how much water is used each year by the agriculture sector,” said Nicolas Bruylants, co-founder of Terraplus Solutions.

“This is a sector that uses 70 per cent of all potable water each year globally.

“We are doing this because we believe each of us has a duty to give back to the world we live in.”

The company estimates that its underground system saved, on average, 40,000 to 50,000 litres of water per tree every year.

This represents a saving of 60 per cent compared with watering the trees with the traditional above-ground methods widely used around the world.

Mr Bruylants said that the underground irrigation system means less water is lost to evaporation, a common problem when watering above the surface.

He said if the technology was installed across the country it could transform the sector, because the UAE has an estimated 20 million date palm trees.

The annual potential savings would be the equivalent of a 200-metre tank of water stretching all the way along the Sheikh Zayed Road from Abu Dhabi to Dubai, he said.

The farm, where the project is in use, is one of several owned by Al Nakhli, a government agricultural agency.

“It is important for the UAE not to put further stress on the country’s water resources,” said Al Nakhli agronomist Khalil Ur Rahman.

“We have been working on this project to see how we can save water.

“Farmers need to know we have a limited amount of water and we need to make it viable for them to use less without reducing the quality of what they produce.”

Mr Ur Rahman said he hoped the project could be introduced across Al Nakhli’s other date palm farms soon.

Before Al Awir Farm used the new system it was losing about 170 million litres of water a year.

That figure has fallen to about 86 million litres after it adopted the subsurface technology.

Terraplus’s irrigation system inserts pipes into the ground, which allows water to directly find the roots of the tree.

Mr Ur Rahman said another benefit of the new technology is that it has resulted in a 10 per cent increase in the amount of crop each tree produces.

UAE researchers produce biofuel from date seeds

Patrick Stevens, co-founder of Terraplus Solutions, said his company’s invention meant the amount of water lost to evaporation was greatly reduced.

“When we go below the surface there is less water lost to irrigation. When you are irrigating above the surface a lot of water is lost and the roots become shorter,” he said.

“With our system, the roots can actually grow about 60 per cent to 70 per cent.”

'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal

Rating: 2/5

How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request

What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less

The biog

DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister

Company%20profile

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.