UAE tests new agricultural technologies to cut water use in greenhouses and farms

The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative is testing agricultural technologies designed to reduce water consumption in greenhouse cooling and crop irrigation. Two finalists in its Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture, UAE-based CRETA Group and Raincatcher Technologies, are trialing solutions that address heat management and water retention in sandy soils.

The approaches are designed to work with existing agricultural infrastructure, although their performance varies depending on climate, crop type and irrigation methods.

CRETA Group told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) that it has developed a multi-zone greenhouse system combining underground heat exchange, engineered airflow, pressure management and passive solar heat reduction. Its dual-shell design regulates heat and airflow through interconnected thermal and pressure zones.

Rather than cooling the entire greenhouse uniformly, the system focuses on maintaining suitable conditions around crops, potentially reducing water and energy use while supporting year-round cultivation.

The company said the technology has operated without evaporative-cooling water during summer in Mediterranean and milder climates, and without fuel-fired heating during winter. Its Al Ain pilot is testing the system under desert conditions, where temperatures can approach 50°C.

The system targets crop-zone temperatures of 28–32°C and an 85–90% reduction in cooling-water consumption compared with conventional fan-and-pad systems. These remain design targets, not final measured savings from the Al Ain pilot.

Based on conventional consumption estimates of 8–15 liters per square meter daily, a greenhouse the size of the 520-square-metre Al Ain pilot could use approximately 500–936 cubic meters of cooling water over 120 peak-summer days.

CRETA reported that the pilot recorded air-temperature reductions of 12–15°C and used 30–40% less cooling-related electricity than conventional systems, with an electrical demand of around 7–8 kilowatts.

The technology can be retrofitted into existing greenhouses, depending on their structure and site conditions, or incorporated into new facilities. CRETA estimates initial installation costs are 20–30% higher than conventional systems, but said lower operating and maintenance expenses could offset the difference. Its underground infrastructure is designed to last more than 20 years.

Payback periods depend on installation costs, water and electricity prices, and operating hours. Longer growing seasons and increased production could also improve returns, as demonstrated.

Dubai-based Raincatcher Technologies has developed a biodegradable soil improver combining superabsorbent polymers and nutrients. Injected near plant roots, it absorbs irrigation or rainwater and gradually releases moisture as the soil dries.

The company said water losses through drainage and evaporation can reach 90% in sandy soils. Its product absorbs several hundred times its weight in water, forming gel pockets that retain moisture and encourage deeper root growth. Specialized tools place it below the surface, while soil, climate and crop assessments determine application rates and depth.

The solution works with existing irrigation systems and requires no changes to crops or infrastructure. Its potassium-based formulation also avoids adding sodium to saline soils.

A trial involving 27 date palms at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in Dubai recorded an 85% reduction in water use, according to the company. Conducted during the 2020–2021 season, the trial used moisture sensors to guide irrigation. Treated palms were watered every seven days, compared with daily irrigation for untreated palms.

A separate sweet-corn trial at Silal Innovation Oasis in Al Ain recorded 20–25% lower water consumption in treated plots as part of the Al Miyah Challenge evaluation.

Raincatcher said results vary by crop and irrigation efficiency, with greater potential savings for perennial crops and those grown in sandy soils, particularly under water stress. Across trials in Türkiye, Morocco and Kyrgyzstan over five years, the company reported water savings of 40–85% and yield increases of 20% to more than 90% under water-stressed conditions.

Annual application costs, including the product and installation, are estimated at US$7 per date palm, US$5 per orchard tree and US$600 per hectare for field crops.

The company reported water savings exceeding 80% for irrigated trees and 20–60% for field crops, with lower water and pumping costs, longer irrigation intervals and improved yields potentially offsetting the investment.

The product remains effective for one to three growing seasons, depending on the crop, and takes approximately seven years to biodegrade on average, according to Raincatcher.