UAE: Sharjah grows wheat in the desert

The Emirate of Sharjah is keen to boost food security and introduce development projects that contribute to preserving the environment and food sustainability. Projects included the “Saba’ Sanabel” (seven spikes) wheat farm in the Mleiha region, which consists of 3 phases. The first phase was completed and harvested last March, and the project received 5 certificates in quality, whereas it is the world’s fines protein wheat.

The UAE, and the Emirate of Sharjah in particular, has given great importance to food security. In 2020, Sharjah launched the “Saba’ Sanabel” wheat farm project in Mleiha region, to meet basic commodities needs in Sharjah cities and regions, most notably wheat.  In addition, wheat cultivation plays an important role in serving the environment and wildlife.

The creative wheat farm project contributed to transforming the desert into areas suitable for agriculture and living, which in turn helps in confronting climate change, protecting against climate change effects, and combating desertification.

Sharjah succeeded in harvesting the first phase of Sharjah wheat in March 2023, despite the difficult environmental conditions that posed a major challenge, including weather factors and scarcity of rain.

Sharjah has used the latest innovative agricultural systems that contribute to improving the quality of products, preserving water resources, ensuring the safety of the environment and biodiversity, and reducing the effects of climate change, in a way that serves the UAE efforts to adopt sustainable agricultural practices.

Associations in different Sharjah cities and regions were supplied with “Saba’ Sanabel” wheat, which saw a great demand from families and visitors who competed to buy this national product grown in the Sharjah desert. “Saba’ Sanabel” wheat received 5 accredited certificates and is free of pesticides and chemicals.

In implementation of the royal directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the second and third phases of the project will be merged, to include the entire area, which is 1900 hectares, including 35 axes, and about 15200 tons of wheat will be harvested, which represents Sharjah consumption.

Tags: wheat, food security, Sharjah, Mleiha region, UAE