Globally, exhausted soils and rising crop prices have driven scientists to discover methods of cultivating food with as few resources as possible and even in the harshest environments.

In particular, the Middle East and Dubai have seen a significant boom since the 1960s, from what used to be a small collection of settlements to an international commercial and business hub that is an almost guaranteed stop off on long-haul flights across the globe. 

As we all know, coffee is a must in daily life, but sourcing it in the middle of the desert where the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located comes with vast challenges. Trying to grow coffee beans in the desert is near impossible due to the startlingly high and varying temperatures. Instead, the nation has been trying to counter these problems with cutting-edge agricultural technologies that can replicate the perfect growing environment to produce coffee all year round. 

Coffee plantations are usually found in tropical areas such as Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia, where temperatures and rainfall are much more favourable for farmers. So it might seem a bit far-fetched that Dubai is attempting to replicate these environmental conditions in the middle of the desert. To do this, a leading agricultural company headquartered in the UAE, EliteAgro, has initiated a new sales agreement with Israeli-based company Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies Ltd (ASX: ROO) to provide cutting-edge technology for cultivating crops at scale in the desert. 

The new sales contract worth $190,000 will see Roots providing their HEPS (Heat Exchanged Probes) technology which facilitates a root-cooling system that can keep large crops at a consistent 30 degrees celsius all year round, regardless of the climate. 

Coffee plants have shallow root systems, which means they absorb significant amounts of heat from the desert sun. HEPS works by inserting two probes into the soil of each plant where it can control and maintain a consistent temperature that is optimal for cultivating.

The contract was sourced as part of a project undertaken by EliteAgro, the ‘Coffee House Murmum’ project. The project is part of multiple commercial initiatives undertaken in the region, bolstered by a recent free trade agreement between Israel and the UAE that aims to lift bilateral trade to more than $10bn.

Operating since 2012, Roots has established business in countries such as China, Australia, the USA, South Korea, Spain, Israel, and now, the UAE, where they provide crop solutions in arid and unconventional environments.  

“This trading update highlights the ongoing application of Roots’ sustainable agriculture technology across a diversified client base. In particular, the sale agreement with EliteAgro marks an exciting step forward for the business, demonstrating both the effectiveness of Roots’ agricultural technology to improve production outcomes in harsh weather conditions, as well as the broader commercial opportunities underpinned by the recent Israel-UAE free trade agreement,” commenting on the deal, Roots CEO, Boaz Wachtel.