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As the world grapples with food insecurity, water scarcity, and climate volatility, few regions have embraced agricultural innovation with the urgency and ambition seen in the Middle East and Africa. From high-tech greenhouses in the Gulf to solar-powered irrigation across North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the region is rapidly becoming a global testbed for agri-tech solutions that thrive where conditions are toughest.

Driven by necessity, collaboration, and investment, the region is pioneering scalable models for climate-smart agriculture, and precision irrigation with lessons that extend far beyond its borders.

A living laboratory for Agri-Tech

“The Middle East and Africa are strong testbeds for agri-tech innovation due to pressing challenges and diverse conditions,” says Adnane, Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab at UM6P.

From desert heat in the Gulf to recurrent droughts across Africa, these extremes demand resource-efficient technologies. In the UAE, Bustanica, the world’s largest vertical farm, grows produce using hydroponics and AI with less water. In Nigeria, solar-powered cold storage units are tackling post-harvest losses, while digital platforms in Kenya connect smallholder farmers to markets and credit.

“The coexistence of high-tech commercial farms and millions of smallholders creates a living laboratory for testing innovations at multiple scales,” Adnane explains. “Scarcity, diversity, and rapid adoption make the region fertile ground for agri-tech development.”

The water- energy food nexus

In a region where water, energy, and food security are deeply intertwined, integrated solutions are essential.

“In Morocco, solar-powered drip irrigation systems help farmers optimize scarce water resources while lowering fossil fuel dependency,” says Adnane. “In Egypt, aquaponics projects combine fish farming and vegetable production, recycling water and nutrients efficiently.”

Across the Gulf, innovators like Agrico in Qatar are using solar energy to power hydroponic greenhouses, producing fresh vegetables year-round despite extreme desert heat. Meanwhile, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in the UAE is pioneering research into salt-tolerant crops that can thrive in saline and arid soils, a crucial innovation for water-scarce environments.

“By aligning innovations across the three sectors, the region reduces vulnerability to climate stress and builds resilient food systems,” Adnane notes.

Partnership as the engine of scale

“Collaborations between governments, research institutions, and private companies are central to scaling climate-smart agriculture in the Middle East and Africa,” says Adnane.

Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund has partnered with AeroFarms to build one of the world’s largest vertical farms in Riyadh, supported by the Agricultural Development Fund. In Morocco, IFC’s partnership with Banque Centrale Populaire and CMGP is financing solar-powered micro-irrigation systems reaching 30,000 farmers by 2027.

“These partnerships align science, policy, and investment,” says Adnane, “accelerating the shift toward climate-resilient agriculture.”

Scaling desert agriculture

For Stuart Donald, Global Head of Farming at Al Dahra, the Middle East’s agricultural leadership lies in transforming deserts into productive farmlands.

“Al Dahra’s global strategy focuses on growing food and feed across diversified regions,” Donald explains. “Our operations in Egypt, Namibia and Morocco combine large-scale irrigation with sustainable innovation to strengthen food security in the MENA region.”

With decades of experience in arid farming, Al Dahra champions efficient water management, from drip irrigation to no-till systems that improve soil health and biodiversity. “We’re focused on growing more with less,” Donald says. “Precision farming technologies, advanced sensors, and data analytics allow us to enhance productivity and regenerative practices at scale.”

Collaboration for resilient supply chains

Partnership is also at the heart of Al Dahra’s expansion model. “We work closely with governments to develop irrigated commercial farms that create jobs and strengthen local economies,” says Donald. “And through collaborations with technology providers such as Syngenta, we’re developing advanced Farm Management Systems that optimize decision-making and sustainability.”

These multi-stakeholder partnerships are creating stronger regional supply chains, connecting innovation, investment, and implementation to deliver impact on the ground.

From desert to global blueprint

As climate change pushes more regions toward arid conditions, the innovations emerging from the Middle East and Africa are becoming global models.

“Technologies developed here under the harshest conditions, from controlled-environment farming to solar-powered desalination, are increasingly being exported,” notes Adnane. The UAE’s Pure Harvest Smart Farms, for example, now operate across Asia, showcasing desert-born solutions for extreme climates.

Donald agrees: “Our experience in water management and large-scale irrigated farming positions the MENA region to play a leading role in shaping global food systems. We’ve learned how to adapt and that knowledge is now our greatest export.”

Innovation born of necessity

What’s happening across the Middle East and Africa isn’t just a wave of agri-tech enthusiasm, it’s a structural transformation born of necessity. Facing the world’s harshest growing conditions, the region has turned adversity into innovation, creating technologies and models that can sustain agriculture in a changing climate.

Join leading innovators, investors, and policymakers at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in Dubai, December 8-9, to explore how the Middle East and Africa are pioneering the next generation of climate-resilient agri-tech solutions.