The American University of Sharjah has announced a unique and sustainable agriculture project named “Harvesting Hope” that uses hydroponic farming techniques to grow fresh & healthy produce.
Hydroponic Farming is a soilless cultivation methodology that allows for less use of water and space with increased fresh and eco-friendly production.
The project is exactly in line with the UAE’s sustainability goals and underlines the university's commitment to promoting healthy &eco-friendly techniques through research endeavours. One of the university's representatives claimed that this project is a demonstration of how technology & agriculture can be integrated to fulfil the continuously increasing nutrition needs and reduce the excess burden on Mother Earth.
Harvesting Hope is actually harvesting hope for the future today and this project aligns with the objectives of COP 28 which aims to make the UAE a zero-carbon emission country by 2050. The mass-level promotion and execution of hydroponic farming will not only provide fresh and more food availability but will lead to more greener and better living future.
Fresh produce for the university community
The primary aim of this innovative endeavour is to provide the university community including students, staff, and professors with a healthy and sustainable source of food. The hydropic yield includes lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and herbs.
Educational and research opportunities:
The hydroponic farming will provide the students with hands-on experience. It will provide more research and innovation opportunities and will be an information-rich resource for the region in the hydroponics domain.
Industry-Academia Linkage
This project will inspire industry and academia to come forward for collaboration. This will not only create a win-win situation for both but also a source of motivation for the development of unique, innovative, and environment-friendly solutions to modern-day problems.
Further, the project will help to engage the university’s community through seminars, workshops, and guided tours. Community engagement in turn promotes new ideas and a healthy competitive environment. Above all, hydroponic farming is a model project for all educational institutions in the Gulf region to embrace sustainable agriculture and contribute to a greener, more self-sufficient future.