Food Tech Valley has signed an agreement at COP28 with  ReFarm to start construction on a 900,000 sq. ft. “GigaFarm”. The waste-to-value farm will be capable of recycling more than 50,000 tonnes of food waste and growing two billion plants each year.

ReFarm was established in the UAE by SSK Enterprise and Christof Global Impact (CGI) as a group of companies with a focus on projects with circularity and clean technologies. The brand chose vertical farming technology developed by Scottish infrastructure supplier Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS).

In what’s being dubbed as a global first, six complementary technologies will be co-located on the Dubai Food Tech Valley site as part of a closed-loop circular waste-to-value system, establishing a self-contained ecosystem designed to maximise resource efficiency and prevent any waste going to landfill.

Capable of growing more than three million kilos of produce annually, the site will support the UAE’s move towards decarbonising food production, replacing 1% of the country’s fresh produce imports. Construction is due to begin in mid-2024, with the site expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Food waste will be recycled on-site by black soldier fly larvae, with by-products including organic compost used in traditional agricultural practices, animal feed for replacing unsustainable fish meal and soy oil, and water for use in the vertical farming towers.

The technologies on site will also recover up to 90% of ammonia sulphate from wastewater for use in plant fertilisers, and produce organic biodegradable polymers designed to gradually release water and nutrients to crops in arid regions.

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David Farquhar, CEO of IGS, said: “This is so much more than just another announcement about plans to build a large-scale vertical farm (albeit that with a growing area of more than 87,000 square metres it will be very large!). This site takes the concept of vertical farming as just one building block in a system that brings together technologies to solve multiple challenges simultaneously, all in one of the most extreme environments on the planet.

“We are delighted to have been selected by ReFarm  as their vertical farm technology partner for this venture as they work to restore the balance and ensure that the UAE is driving an innovative approach to combatting food insecurity. This project is a very exciting step forward for IGS, and we are confident this innovative model has applications in many geographies across the globe.”