Sustainable agriculture shapes Africa, Middle East industry future

Middle Eastern and African agriculture industry will witness the innovative collaboration between a leading controlled agricultural environment lighting company and a tech expert to find innovative and sustainable farming practices in the region for boosting commercial transactions.

agriculture kenya africa middle east
Farmer shows feed the future Kenya AVCD team her solar power in Opapo orange-flesh sweet potato site visit in Migori county. © ILRI /Muthoni Njiru

In a round of sustainable agriculture, ABB & Heliospectra AB partnership in the Middle East and Africa to bring innovative boost in the industry, whereby exploring solutions for greenhouse sustainability as well as “controlled environment agriculture” practices. ABB pioneers technology for “robotics and motion, industrial automation and renewable”, while Heliospectra AB is a global leader for “intelligent lighting” in greenhouses and in “controlled” areas for growing plants.

The above mentioned partnership will be exploring innovative technologies for producing food besides looking into “commercial infrastructure” that would address the growing “sustainable agricultural” products’ demands. Moreover, the tie up will also create integrated value by bringing solutions in a wide spectrum of technical fields ranging from “light control systems, refrigeration, renewable” to “robotics and Industry 4.0 digital technologies”. In this manner, the collaboration becomes a means for shaping up a flexible market space which is cost effective and has an improved “capital efficiency”.

Heliospectra brings its expertise in the control lighting technology that comes with “fully adjustable spectra LED” and accelerates the food cycle whereby hastening harvest schedules and market delivery. Furthermore, the new partnership will also design programmes to educate the farmers about the best sustainable agricultural practices. In the words of the managing director of “UAE and Oversight Countries”, Mostafa AlGuezeri: “ABB is a technology pioneer in electrification and automation. This collaboration is bringing two key technology experts in creating value for both the producers and consumers. With this partnership, we will explore innovative and disruptive technologies that can optimize food production and reduce wastage. This is of immediate interest and need in the Middle East and Africa region and we are excited to be in this partnership that will possibly improve food security and water stress”.

Moreover, the chief executive of Heliospectra, Ali Ahmadian added: “Our relationship with ABB represents a powerful opportunity for Heliospectra to significantly expand our presence in the Middle East & Africa, a vibrant and important global market. This opportunity will enable us to provide fully integrated solutions, from facility planning and design to cultivation and installation specialists, ready to support commercial growers and businesses within the region”.

“ABB has demonstrated the ability to apply considerable resources and expertise as a major market leader in sustainable agriculture and food production. We are pleased to work with a partner that shares our passion for innovation and quality. Together, we strive to help food growers create a smarter, sustainable and more productive future”.

Furthermore, the “Food and Beverages Manufacturing Segment Manager” of Africa and the Middle East, Mohammed Farahneh said: “An additional billion people will live in the Middle East and Africa in the next 20 years. With the increasingly urbanized population, indoor and urban farming would become the most sustainable way forward. With our partner Heliospectra we aim to write the future of food production”.

The above mentioned partnership signed by both the companies, “ABB Industries LLC and Heliospectra AB”, has a valid two years period, within which the companies aim to take their cooperation to “new markets across the region”.