Silal’s Innovation Oasis, a cutting-edge research and development hub in Al Ain, has entered into a groundbreaking collaboration with Square Roots, a global leader in agritech specializing in modular controlled-climate farming and AI-powered cultivation systems.
This strategic partnership aims to drive advancements in climate-smart agriculture and accelerate the development of innovative solutions for sustainable desert farming, marking a significant step forward in agricultural technology.
The partnership marks a significant advancement in the UAE’s efforts to bolster food security, improve water efficiency, and foster a cutting-edge agricultural innovation ecosystem for the future.
Revolutionizing Agriculture with AI and Controlled-Climate Farming
The agreement merges Innovation Oasis’s expertise in desert agriculture with Square Roots’ global leadership in controlled-climate farming, indoor crop science, and AI-driven agricultural technologies.
Under the agreement, Square Roots will deploy a multi-zone, fully cloud-connected, artificial intelligence-powered research facility on the Innovation Oasis site. The facility will serve as a national testbed for fast-tracking innovation in indoor and desert farming by enabling parallel trials on desert-adapted crops, low-light genetics, modular indoor farming systems, and generative AI technologies tailored for agriculture. The collaboration also aims to accelerate the commercialization of resource-efficient farming solutions for adoption across the UAE.
The initiative will advance several core innovation tracks, including the development of low-light crop genetics to support indoor farming with up to 40 percent lower energy consumption, building on Square Roots internationally recognized research supported by the Gates Foundation.
The collaboration will also identify and test new strategic crops suited to desert environments, expand the diversity of locally grown produce, and develop a suite of AI-powered tools to enhance productivity and optimize resource use. In addition, Square Roots’ globally renowned ‘Next-Gen Farmer Training Program’ will be localized to equip Emirati scientists, agronomists, and growers with advanced technical expertise.
To further support the UAE farming community, Square Roots will adapt its modular indoor farming platform into a resource-efficient configuration tailored for smallholder farmers, including scalable systems capable of operating on solar power.
A research and development farm based on Square Roots’ technology will be deployed at the Innovation Oasis site to serve as a platform for the full ecosystem of programs under the collaboration, as well as additional Silal-led research initiatives.
Dhafer Al Qasimi Group CEO – Silal
“This collaboration marks a strategic expansion of Innovation Oasis’s global partnerships, bringing world-class agricultural innovation to Abu Dhabi and advancing the UAE’s leadership in climate-smart and desert farming. By integrating advanced research, AI-driven tools, and farmer development, we are accelerating sustainable food production and strengthening the resilience of our agricultural sector for future generations.”
Kimbal Musk, Executive Chairman of Square Roots, stated that, “Our partnership with Innovation Oasis reflects a shared commitment to redefining the future of agriculture in arid environments. Combining Square Roots’ controlled-climate farming and crop science expertise with Abu Dhabi’s forward-thinking agricultural vision will fast-track solutions in food security and resource efficiency, delivering scalable models that support farmers in the UAE and across desert regions globally.”
Silal’s Innovation Oasis-Square Roots to advance agricultural development
Through this agreement, Innovation Oasis is further strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for advanced agricultural development. The platform created through this collaboration will support the testing and validation of new technologies in real desert conditions, fostering commercially viable farming models tailored to the UAE’s unique climate.
Innovation Oasis remains focused on converting scientific breakthroughs into real-world outcomes, enhancing farmer competitiveness, unlocking new economic opportunities in the agri-food sector, and reinforcing the UAE’s long-term sustainability and food security ambitions.
