In the framework of the strategic objectives of the ministry to promote food security in the country by increasing the productivity of agricultural crops using protected agricultural production systems, His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, the Minister of Environment and Water has chaired the first meeting with a group of farmers that use hydroponics system (cultivation without the use of soil). His Excellency said that the ministry is working on adopting modern techniques and appropriate high-efficiency in the use of irrigation and private protected farming techniques and aquaculture, to encounter the decrease in limited natural resources, mainly water, where the ministry encourages agriculture without soil. This type of agriculture is characterized by water preservation and controlling the use of chemical pesticides efficiently; since aquaculture products are healthy organic products. In addition, farmers were educated about the optimal use of water for irrigation, the adoption of good agricultural practices, and the promotion of local agricultural products .
From this perspective, the ministry encouraged the establishment of association for farmers owning specialized farms in applying hydroponics. Where a number of meetings were held with farmers to illustrate the idea of establishing the association and its objectives, vision, its organization structure, its mandate, and procedures for publicizing its establishment. The Association will contribute to the management and marketing of farmers' products grown without soil. The Association will also focus on the educational aspect of the members by holding sessions and specialized workshops on farming techniques without the use of soil. One of the main objectives of the association is to develop this type of agriculture to be active and up to date with the modern techniques, as well as to get the best prices for production equipment for farmers through contracts with agricultural companies and collective purchase orders, reducing the cost of these supplies and increase farmers' income.
The meeting was attended by 22 farmers of large-scale hydroponics farms. It should be noted that the number of greenhouses used for hydroponics systems increased significantly as to (700) houses with an area of 191,000 sq. by the end of 2012, that was due to the ministry's efforts in introducing hydroponics technology. Based on applied research in experimental stations in the ministry and farms in different regions in the country, the adoption of hydroponics and including it within the agricultural system of the country contributes to raise the self-sufficiency ratio of vegetables to high levels. In addition, the introduction of hydroponics will contribute to reducing water consumption in irrigation of vegetable crops by up to 70% compared to crops farms that irrigate vegetables under open-field conditions, as well as the significant increase in production as a result of improved plant growth and increased agricultural lugs per year. Moreover, the features of high efficiency hydroponics in the use of fertilizers because of the ease of concentration adjustment and high efficiency of nutrition for plants, which gives better crop growth, as well as to avoid problems of soil salinity, pests, and soil fertility due to controlled cultivation environments that are free from problems facing agriculture in the open field, as well as controlling the use of chemical pesticides and the use of biological control methods to protect crops .
Greenhouses used in hydroponics are divided to greenhouses covered by polycarbonate with a cooling system, and houses covered with insulation layers (net house) that are characterized with low-cost construction and saving the water used in the cooling. The productivity of greenhouses with cooling systems and net houses are almost the same.
© Press Release 2013
