Abu Dhabi: Silal’s Innovation Oasis (iO), the state-of-the-art research and development hub in Al Ain designed to transform agricultural technology, has signed a landmark collaboration agreement with Square Roots, a global agritech company specializing in modular controlled-climate farming and AI-powered cultivation systems, to advance climate-smart agriculture and accelerate breakthrough solutions for desert farming.
The partnership represents a major step forward in the UAE’s efforts to strengthen food security, enhance water efficiency and build a next-generation agricultural innovation ecosystem. The agreement combines Innovation Oasis’s desert agriculture expertise with Square Roots’ global leadership in controlled-climate farming, indoor crop science and AI-enabled agricultural applications.
Under the agreement, Square Roots will deploy a multi-zone, fully cloud-connected, artificial intelligence-powered research facility on the iO site. The facility will serve as a national testbed for fast-tracking innovation in indoor and desert farming by enabling parallel trials on desert-adapted crops, low-light genetics, modular indoor farming systems and generative AI technologies tailored for agriculture. The collaboration also aims to accelerate the commercialization of resource-efficient farming solutions for adoption across the UAE.
The initiative will advance several core innovation tracks, including the development of low-light crop genetics to support indoor farming with up to 40% lower energy consumption, building on Square Roots internationally recognized research supported by the Gates Foundation. The collaboration will also identify and test new strategic crops suited to desert environments, expand the diversity of locally grown produce, and develop a suite of AI-powered tools to enhance productivity and optimize resource use. In addition, Square Roots’ globally renowned “Next-Gen Farmer Training Program” will be localized to equip Emirati scientists, agronomists and growers with advanced technical expertise.
To further support the UAE farming community, Square Roots will adapt its modular indoor farming platform into a resource-efficient configuration tailored for smallholder farmers, including scalable systems capable of operating on solar power. A research and development farm based on Square Roots’ technology will be deployed at the Innovation Oasis site to serve as a platform for the full ecosystem of programs under the collaboration, as well as additional Silal-led research initiatives.
Commenting on the agreement, H.E. Dhafer Rashed Al Qasimi, Silal Group CEO, said: “This collaboration marks a strategic expansion of Innovation Oasis’s global partnerships, bringing world-class agricultural innovation to Abu Dhabi and advancing the UAE’s leadership in climate-smart and desert farming. By integrating advanced research, AI-driven tools and farmer development, we are accelerating sustainable food production and strengthening the resilience of our agricultural sector for future generations.”
Kimbal Musk, Executive Chairman of Square Roots said, “Our partnership with Innovation Oasis reflects a shared commitment to redefining the future of agriculture in arid environments. Combining Square Roots’ controlled-climate farming and crop science expertise with Abu Dhabi’s forward-thinking agricultural vision will fast-track solutions in food security and resource efficiency, delivering scalable models that support farmers in the UAE and across desert regions globally.”
Through this agreement, iO is further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for advanced agricultural development. The platform created through this collaboration will support the testing and validation of new technologies in real desert conditions, fostering commercially viable farming models tailored to the UAE’s unique climate.
Innovation Oasis remains focused on converting scientific breakthroughs into real-world outcomes, enhancing farmer competitiveness, unlocking new economic opportunities in the agri-food sector and reinforcing the UAE’s long-term sustainability and food security ambitions.
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