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Plant the Emirates – what is (in) it for the Netherlands?

Nieuwsbericht | 20-01-2025 | 11:01

The “Plant the Emirates” is an ambitious environmental and agricultural program launched by the United Arab Emirates. The initiatives aims to combat climate change, promote sustainable development, and enhance the quality of life for future generations. Although Plant the Emirates is a stand-alone initiative, it is in some aspects similar in nature to the Saudi Green Initiative. In this article, we will describe the Plant the Emirates initiative and outline the opportunities it presents for the Dutch private and knowledge sectors.

Beeld: ©Maximus Beaumont / Unsplash

Objectives of Plant the Emirates

The Plant the Emirates initiative was launched as part of the UAE's Year of Sustainability in October 2024. At the same time, the launch of the National Agriculture Centre was also announced. In the next 5 years, the initiative aims to:

  • Promote sustainable agricultural practices; expand the number of productive and organic farms by 25% and promote the adoption of modern climate-smart agriculture solutions by 30% more farms;
  • Expand green spaces across the UAE by planting 100,000 seedlings;
  • Advance the nation's agricultural sector; raise productivity by 20% and provide training, advisory and financing programmes for agricultural projects;
  • Support national food security;
  • Contribute to the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative; reduce waste from agricultural production by 50%;
  • Involve the community with agri-tourism, volunteer programs, competitions and school programs, as well as a national agricultural exhibition and the marketing of produce grown in the UAE;
  • Align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most prominently SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Opportunities for the Dutch private and knowledge sector

Although details about Plant the Emirates are to be launched soon, we expect the project will present significant opportunities for Dutch businesses, particularly in the areas of sustainable agricultural practices, modernisation and improved productivity of (organic) farms, and play a role in knowledge transfer and capacity building.

Also, as Plant the Emirates situated in an extremely water scarce country, water management projects are essential. This may range from the treatment and enrichment of water, to nano-bubble technology, drip irrigation and everything the Netherlands has to offer to avoid evapotranspiration in the broadest sense.

Last but not least, expertise in the expansion of green spaces can be required to make these initiatives the success that is envisioned.

For the knowledge sector, potential areas of collaboration are education and training, as well as research projects to compare practices in the GCC. These research projects could relate to crops and their growth, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and water management.

With the desire to ramp up the effective adoption of climate-smart technology, opportunities arise in innovation and technology transfer.

At your service

Both Plant the Emirates and the Saudi Green Initiative are ambitious (and seemingly realistic) programs with the potential to significantly positively impact the environment and promote sustainable development. Dutch businesses and knowledge institutions have a unique opportunity to contribute to these initiatives and benefit from the growing green economy in the region. The LAN team is at your disposal to keep you informed about opportunities and to help you navigate these government initiatives. Please reach out to RIY-LVVN@minbuza.nl to discuss how you can best approach these initiatives.

Sources:

By: Nienke Gelderloos, Agricultural Advisor in the UAE