Middle East Update
KUWAIT’S NOX MANAGEMENT OPENS THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE INDOOR VERTICAL FARM IN THE MIDDLE EAST
F
arm to produce daily 550 kg of tasty leafy green varieties in a highly automated indoor vertical farm in Kuwait. &Ever Middle East, a joint venture between Kuwait’s NOX Management and German company &ever, in partnership with German engineering companies SAP and Viessmann, has opened
the first commercial indoor vertical farm in the Middle East. Kuwait, a country that previously relied on European and overseas imports for most of their leafy greens and herbs, can now locally grow up to 250 varieties of greens and herbs using Dryponics technology. The facility, with approximately 3,000 sqm growing (or faming) space, has a daily output capacity of up to 550 kg of salad, herbs, and cresses. The products are available in all leading retailers and coops under the brand name &ever Kuwait. The farm produces high-quality and sustainable crops indoors, which increase Andy Froemmel, Managing Director, SAP Kuwait. the nutritional quality
32 Gulf Agriculture | www.gulfagriculture.com
and decrease environmental impact. The cutting-edge vertical farming method uses 90 percent less water compared to traditional farming, 60 percent less fertilizer, and zero pesticides. Using a sustainable “farm to fork” model, the technology is able to preserve the plants’ nutritional value until the produce reaches the customer. “Previously, Kuwait’s restaurants imported all of our greens and herbs, mainly from Europe,” said Faisal AlMeshal, Director of Strategy and Business Development, NOX Management. “Our JV with &ever and the partnership with SAP and Viessmann on this indoor farm is enabling the local farming supply chain to save on costs and logistics, to minimize waste,
July-August 2020
