NEWARK, NJ – AeroFarms is set to build a 90,000- square-foot indoor vertical farm in Abu Dhabi that the company said will be the largest of its kind. 

The farm will be dedicated to R&D and commercialization of relevant local crops using technology that uses 95% less water than traditional farming and zero pesticides. The facility will include an advanced organoleptic research and precision phenotyping lab, advanced seed breeding center, phytochemical analysis lab, machine visions and learning lab and a robotics, automation and drones lab.  

“Our mission is to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity, and this new cutting-edge R&D facility leverages our agriculture expertise and science-driven roots. We will be conducting leading research in plant science, vertical farming, and automation, accelerating innovation cycles and commercializing a diverse range of products,” said David Rosenberg, co-founder and chief executive officer of AreoFarms. 

“We will be partnering with major international companies, local universities, and AgTech startups to help solve some of the most pressing agriculture needs of our time, and AeroFarms is proud to play a pivotal role to helping establish the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global hub for AgTech innovation.”   

The facility is being built through a $100 million investment from the Abu Dhabi Investment Office’s (ADIO) AgTech Incentive Programme.  

“We are delighted to welcome AeroFarms to Abu Dhabi. AgTech is a priority sector for the Abu Dhabi Government, and our long-term goal is to support the development of innovation that will contribute to solving challenges of regional and global importance,” said Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, director general of ADIO.  “We are excited to partner with AeroFarms and enable them to pioneer solutions for agriculture in desert and arid climates. AeroFarms will add significant scale to Abu Dhabi’s growing AgTech ecosystem.”