FoA 257: Bringing Ag Innovation to the Desert with HE Dr. Tariq bin Hendi

<p><strong>Please participate in our</strong> <a href= "https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU"><strong>listener survey</strong></a> <strong>to help us focus the direction of the show: </strong> <a href= "https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU"><strong>https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU</strong></a><strong> </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While we here in the U.S. have an agricultural system built upon exports, while our guest today lives in Abu Dhabi, part of the United Arab Emirates which currently imports 80% of their food. What we view here as needed viable technology to create a more sustainable agriculture is likely to be different there. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We have on the show His Excellency Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi. Dr. Tariq is the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). He leads the organisation’s efforts to grow and diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy through private sector investment. He also oversees strategic initiatives that support the emirate’s economic growth and reputation on the world stage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of those initiatives was to entice leading agtech companies from around the world to establish new R&D and production facilities in the emirate.</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2020, ADIO announced partnerships with AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ and Responsive Drip Irrigation to bring innovation to the area to turn sand into farmland, solve complex global agriculture challenges and expand the profile of local food producers. ADIO is investing $100 million in those four companies to build facilities in Abu Dhabi, each tasked with solving regional and global challenges.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They are also partnering with three AgTech companies, US-based Nanoracks, India’s FreshToHome and Pure Harvest to develop ‘land, sea & space’ AgTech projects in Abu Dhabi, offering $41.3m in incentives to the innovative companies to develop next generation agriculture solutions to sup