US-based agritech firm Square Roots, which works on modular controlled-climate farming and AI-enabled cultivation systems, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Silal’s Innovation Oasis (iO), the research and development hub of agritech firm Silal in the UAE.
The initiative centres on deploying an AI-enabled, multi-zone, cloud-connected modular research facility in Al Ain to evaluate indoor and desert farming approaches under controlled conditions. Designed as a national testbed for desert-adapted crops, low-light genetics, and modular farming systems, the facility aims to assess pathways for reducing energy use by up to 40%.
The facility will serve as a national testbed for advancing desert agriculture – enabling rapid trials of climate-optimized crops, expanding our ongoing work on artificial photosynthesis, and developing new AI tools to support farmers in some of the world’s most challenging conditions
The engagement sits within the UAE’s broader push to improve water efficiency, diversify domestic food production, and develop agricultural systems suited to desert conditions, with an emphasis on climate resilience and food security rather than short-term scale.
Square Roots develops scalable indoor farming systems designed for diverse climates and operates training and research programmes aimed at advancing technical capabilities in modern crop production rather than rapid commercial rollout. Silal is part of Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) and was established in September 2020 to diversify food sources and stimulate manufacturing and distribution across the agri-food sectors in the UAE and beyond.
Integrating Indoor Capabilities with Desert Farming Research
The collaboration brings together Square Roots’ capabilities in indoor crop science, controlled-environment agriculture infrastructure, and artificial intelligence with Silal’s Innovation Oasis’s applied research focus on desert agriculture.
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An important component is the development of low-light crop genetics to support indoor farming systems that can offer lower energy requirements. AI-powered tools will also be developed to improve productivity, optimise water and energy use, and enhance overall system efficiency.
By aligning technical experimentation with regional agronomic constraints, the partnership seeks to generate evidence driven models for climate-smart farming in arid environments. The collaboration will also focus on identifying newer crops suitable for growth in arid environments, aiming to expand the diversity of locally grown produce in the UAE.
By integrating advanced research, AI-driven tools and farmer development, we are accelerating sustainable food production and strengthening the resilience of our agricultural sector for future generations
The organisation also aims to adapt its modular indoor farming platform into a resource-efficient configuration designed for smallholder farmers, including scalable systems capable of operating on solar power. These efforts are intended to support broader adoption of advanced farming technologies and improve access for diverse farming operations across the UAE.
As part of the collaboration, Square Roots will also work to localise its ‘Next-Gen Farmer Training Program’ to equip UAE scientists, agronomists, and growers with advanced technical skills in controlled-environment agriculture, data-driven cultivation, and modern crop science.
Developing Framework for Arid Regions
The Square Roots, Silal Innovation Oasis collaboration reflects a shift in how arid-region food security strategies are being structured, with emphasis moving from large-scale deployment to evidence centered system testing.
By positioning the Al Ain facility as a research testbed rather than a production asset, the initiative acknowledges unresolved constraints around energy use, crop suitability, and system efficiency that have limited indoor farming in desert climates. The focus on low-light genetics, modular infrastructure, and AI-driven optimisation indicates an attempt to address these constraints at the design level instead of compensating for them through higher inputs.
Combining Square Roots’ controlled-climate farming and crop science expertise with Abu Dhabi’s forward-thinking agricultural vision will fast-track solutions in food security and resource efficiency, delivering scalable models that support farmers in the UAE and across desert regions globally
The inclusion of a localised training programme further suggests that the partnership is as much about institutional capacity-building as it is about technology. If successful, the partnership is less likely to be about a single scalable solution but more likely to be a validated framework that can inform future climate-smart farming investments across arid regions.
