Farmers and engineers at a Sharjah farm are preparing for the first harvest of an innovative wheat experiment.
In March, harvesting machinery will assemble in the fields to collect the developed crops. The National paid a visit to Mleiha’s 400-hectare facility, which is about the size of 500 football fields. Sharjah’s department of agriculture and livestock is in charge of the project.
The farm’s first phase was inaugurated in November by Sharjah’s Ruler, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, while machine operators disseminated seeds on the fields. The barren terrain at the foot of rugged mountains has been converted into a lush paradise, poised to yield up to 1,700 tonnes of wheat in four months.
The farm is equipped with cutting-edge equipment, such as soil sensors and satellites that do thermal imaging of the location. To prevent water waste, the sensors can assess the amount of water in the soil. A weather station on-site can forecast temperature, wind speed, and humidity for up to 48 hours. If rain is expected, the farm reduces irrigation. A reservoir with a capacity of 16,000 cubic metres is used to water the farms. Six enormous suction pumps may produce up to 60,000 cubic metres of water in a single day.
The farm employs pivot irrigation, which consists of mechanical sprinkler systems that may be moved by motors. Apps allow remote access to satellite monitoring and sprinkler systems. All agricultural processes, from sowing to irrigation to harvesting, are automated and computerised, minimising reliance on people. Presently, the farm is run by only two engineers and six to seven people.
Dr Khalifa Musabeh Ahmed Alteneiji, Chairman of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, claimed that the wheat would be harvested between March 15 and 20 and that it will be sold in Sharjah and the UAE. He also stated that the items will be ready for purchase in May or June. Wheat, according to Alteneiji, is a key commodity with significant nutritional content that can be preserved for a long period. The globe encountered certain challenges in the availability of wheat and food supply chains during the Covid-19 outbreak and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Alteneji says that he received directions from Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the ruler of Sharjah to start the farm.
