Abu Dhabi, UAE/New Delhi: Silal’s Innovation Oasis (iO), the United Arab Emirates’ cutting‑edge agricultural technology and research centre, has announced a strategic collaboration with global agritech leader Square Roots to drive innovation in AI‑powered indoor and desert farming.
The partnership aims to strengthen food security, improve water efficiency, and position the UAE as a global hub for climate‑smart agricultural development. Finance 360
The agreement was highlighted in a post by Hassan Sajwani on X, where he expressed excitement about the collaboration between UAE’s Silal and Kimbal Musk’s Square Roots to accelerate AI‑enabled indoor farming in the UAE, underlining the country’s commitment to sustainable and advanced agricultural solutions.
Very excited to see UAE’s Silal partnering with @kimbal Musk’s Square Roots to accelerate AI-powered indoor farming in the UAE 🇦🇪 pic.twitter.com/mXsL6mtO1s
— حسن سجواني 🇦🇪 Hassan Sajwani (@Sajwani) December 12, 2025
Under the partnership, Square Roots will deploy a multi‑zone, cloud‑connected, AI‑powered research facility at the Innovation Oasis site in Al Ain.
This facility will serve as a national testbed to fast‑track innovations in indoor agriculture and desert‑adapted cultivation by supporting parallel trials on drought‑tolerant crops, low‑light genetics, modular controlled‑environment farming systems, and generative AI tools tailored for the agricultural sector.
Transforming Agriculture With AI and Innovation
The collaboration combines Silal’s expertise in desert farming with Square Roots’ strengths in controlled‑climate farming and AI‑driven cultivation technologies.
A key focus is advancing climate‑smart agriculture — using artificial intelligence, cloud‑enabled systems, and modular farming solutions to boost productivity while reducing resource use across the UAE’s arid landscapes.
Besides technology deployment, the partnership will localise the Square Roots Next‑Gen Farmer Training Program, equipping Emirati scientists, agronomists, and growers with advanced skills to lead future agricultural innovations.
A dedicated research and development farm based on Square Roots’ technology will also be established at Innovation Oasis, supporting the full scope of collaborative programmes and additional Silal‑led research initiatives.
Boosting Food Security and Sustainability
Officials say this partnership marks a significant step in the UAE’s approach to addressing long‑term food security and sustainability challenges. By accelerating the commercialization of resource‑efficient farming technologies, the initiative is expected to expand the diversity of locally grown produce and develop scalable farming models tailored to the country’s unique climate conditions.
Silal Group CEO Dhafer Rashed Al Qasimi noted that the collaboration enhances Abu Dhabi’s global position in climate‑smart and desert agriculture, while Square Roots Executive Chairman Kimbal Musk emphasised the shared commitment to redefining the future of agriculture in arid regions.
