In a city better known for skyscrapers than spinach, one of the world's tallest vertical farms is set to open next year — and it could reshape how the desert feeds itself.
Rising dozens of storeys, the indoor farm will stack growing beds floor upon floor, bathing crops in tuned LED light and recycling almost every drop of water. Developers say it will produce enough leafy greens, herbs and vegetables for a million meals a day.
Farming without the field
Traditional agriculture is nearly impossible across much of the Gulf, where water is scarce and summers are punishing. Vertical farming flips the equation: by moving indoors and going up rather than out, it grows more food on a fraction of the land and water.
"We're not fighting the desert anymore — we're farming above it."
The facility will sit close to the city it serves, cutting the distance produce travels from weeks to hours and slashing the emissions of imported food.
A model for the region
If the economics work, backers hope to replicate the design across the Gulf and beyond, offering a blueprint for food security in some of the world's harshest climates.