Fresh water is scarce in the UAE. We can't rely on rainfall to water our crops, so instead we turn to irrigation.
That creates its own problems, though. The fresh water used for irrigation has to come from somewhere - either from the Arabian Gulf via a desalination plant, or from treatment plants that recycle water that has already been desalinated and used for other purposes. In either case, it is expensive and in limited supply, so there is pressure to keep the amount used to a minimum.
A number of irrigation systems have been studied, including sprinkler systems and drip irrigation, but they each have drawbacks.
Researchers at the Masdar Institute are investigating an innovative technique for irrigation: the use of super-absorbent polymers to retain water in the soil. The research is being carried out in collaboration with the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in Dubai.
Super-absorbent polymers, which can hold and store several times their weight in water, are already being used in a number of fields. Surgeons use them as super-efficient swabs. Firefighters use polymers pre-loaded with water to create a huge mass of steam that puts out a fire more effectively than water alone.
Our focus is on using them in agriculture to ensure a constant supply of water to the plant while minimising water loss by evaporation and infiltration, which is when irrigation water misses the root system altogether and is drained away by gravity.
To use the polymer, a worker adds water to it, turning it into a gel. It is then placed in the soil near the root of the plant.
With the polymer holding water at its base, the amount of watering a plant needs can be cut by more than half. When it is irrigated, the polymer ensures most of that water goes to the plant and not deep into the soil. And unlike standard irrigation, where the water supply tends to be sporadic, constant access to water removes the risk of water stress.
Initial studies abroad have indicated that the hydrogels and polymers do not get absorbed by the plants; they are used only as water-retention materials.
This point is important and needs to be verified to ensure the polymers do not end up in the plant and pose a risk to human health.
Research has begun at the Masdar Institute to see how such super-absorbent material can be used in the UAE.
First, we select a material based on its water retention, its useful life and its composition - whether it is petroleum-based or organic.
Then, we test a number of crop samples with different amounts of the gel, and varyingly saline water, to see how well it works. We focus on how much water is needed with each gel to produce plants of a particular size, looking at the crop yield, leaf size and root size. We compare this with a controlled irrigation-system plant grown with similarly saline water, to quantify the savings in each case.
Cost is important, too. So as well as the cost of the gel itself, we will look at the differences in the cost of water, labour, electricity, and so on. We also intend to evaluate the reduction of stress on the plants due to the constant availability of water, and the risk of the gel being absorbed by the plant and any potential health consequences.
The UAE has the opportunity to take a leading role in this field, adapting the technology to desert environments. Through this we hope to increase agricultural production while using less water - helping the UAE secure its own food supply while minimising its effect on the environment.
Abdalla Al Serkal is a masters student in water and environmental engineering at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology; Taha Ouarda is professor of water and environmental engineering at the Masdar Institute.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
Welterweight: Daniel Skibinski (POL) beat Acoidan Duque (ESP). Round 3 TKO
Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The five pillars of Islam
Company profile
Company: Eighty6
Date started: October 2021
Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Hospitality
Size: 25 employees
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investment: $1 million
Investors: Seed funding, angel investors
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5