Sharjah24: Sharjah Asset Management Company, the investment arm of the Government of Sharjah, and the Sharjah Cooperative Society, in coordination with the Sharjah Directorate of Public Works, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, to unify, integrate efforts and exchange experiences in various fields, especially in supporting and marketing local crops, for the mutual benefit of both parties and society.

The memorandum was signed by His Excellency Waleed Al Sayegh, CEO of Sharjah Asset Management, and His Excellency Majid Salem Al Junaid, CEO of Sharjah Cooperative. The signing of the memorandum was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Abdullah Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Seaports, Customs and Free Zones Authority, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Statistics and Community Development as well as His Excellency Saeed Sultan Al Suwaidi, Chairman of the Sharjah Cooperative Society, and several senior officials, heads of local departments and representatives of the Spanish region of Murcia.

The Memorandum of Cooperation included supporting and promoting the marketing of local (organic) agricultural crops, resulting from the "greenhouses" project in the Al Bardi area of Al Dhaid. This includes conducting operations to facilitate the marketing of these crops and improving market competitiveness by allocating special display areas for the project's agricultural products. It includes supporting the local production of organic crops, enhancing the sustainability of the agricultural sector, and striving to increase the market share for local products. 

His Excellency Walid Al Sayegh said: “The signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation with the Sharjah Cooperative Society to support and market local agricultural crops from the greenhouses project is in line with the directions of the Emirate of Sharjah of seeking to develop the agri-food sector and build a strong and globally leading food security system. It will help enhance the competitiveness and productivity of the agricultural sector in the emirate by establishing integrated developed communities and producing high-quality organic products."

Al Sayegh added, “In Sharjah Asset Management, we seek to invest in vital sectors and to attract investors to the emirate by providing equipped units linked to world-class infrastructure, providing all the logistical services needed by projects, especially those investing in the food sector. We will proactively encourage entrepreneurs to continue their efforts in the agri-sector, which helps sustain a strong and diversified economy, achieve prosperity for citizens and residents, and supply the market with fresh, safe and globally competitive local products.

His Excellency Majid Salem Al Junaid, CEO of Sharjah Cooperative, affirmed the support of the Sharjah Cooperative for the greenhouse project and the marketing of its crops, through outlets across the Emirate of Sharjah. The implementation of the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, align with the cooperative's objective to support initiatives that enrich the Emirate economically. 

He added that the Sharjah Cooperative is strategically proceeding according to a clear methodology, and enabling plans which include developing cooperation with various parties, increasing its balance of strategic partners, and exchanging expertise and experiences to provide the highest standards of global services.  It will remain supportive of economic growth as it continues to expand the sector, confirming its position as a tributary of development.

The farmhouses project utilises the latest agricultural technology, including the irrigation system, fertilization, cooling system, ventilation system and humidity control. It has been divided into two parts, comprising hydroponics and land cultivation. Greenhouses depend on several systems, most notably the irrigation system, fertilization, evaporative cooling, the fog generation system, and the humidification system.

These greenhouses aim to increase organic, free from chemicals agricultural production, increase the density of plants and produce fruits with high marketing specifications, reduce consumption in the quantities of irrigation water used, and regulate the irrigation process, especially concerning drip irrigation system.