Greenhouses to vertical farming: The Middle East’s path to foolproof food security

Greenhouses to vertical farming: The Middle East’s path to foolproof food security

An agricultural industry expert has cautioned Middle Eastern nations against an “over centralization” of the food system linking security with demand.

Speaking to Al Arabiya English, Mark Tester, co-founder and Chief Scientist of the Red Sea Farms, called on decision makers to establish a platform that can foster healthy competition.

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“Food security and food sufficiency do not go hand in hand,” explained Tester.

He added that countries in the Middle East, including GCC member nations, should diversify their sources of food, while simultaneously investing in technology that can accomplish internal sourcing.

Pointing to England’s current egg shortage as an example, Tester advised: “Don’t put your eggs in one basket and don’t source all your eggs from the same chickens in the same barn, because when that chicken barn goes down, bang, look at what’s happening in England.”

Food security equals national security

With so much focus on securing steady streams of food supplies for large populations, Irving Fain CEO and Founder of US-based vertical farm developer, Bowery Farming, noted that there is a close tie between national security and food security.

“The Middle East has known this for many, many decades, long before the