Monday, Apr 24, 2017

Dubai

If you worry about how the artificial chemicals in your food are affecting your health and the environment, it is the perfect time to switch to a home garden. And before you ask - space is not a concern.

Mariam Al Juneibi has been dispelling myths about growing vegetables in the UAE for many years now. She started her company - Al Ebdaa Al Zahabi, which means Golden Creativity - in 2015 and through the Dubai Municipality’s Grow Your Food campaign, teaches UAE residents the basics of organic farming.

“We teach people the organic practices to grow their own food even if they have a small space.”

Apart from protecting the environment and promoting biodiversity, organic food is also extremely beneficial for one’s health according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations.

Mariam, who has conducted sessions at over 35 schools, five government offices and three private companies, said: “We have to protect our community our kids ourself that’s my message.”

Speaking about the misconceptions many people have, she said: “Everyone says it is difficult to grow food in the UAE, it is a desert, it can’t happen. But through very simple practices you can have a beautiful crop.”

If you live in an apartment without a balcony, Mariam recommends buying small, beautiful pots and grow herbs — they grow in a couple of weeks and are easy to maintain.

“Every herb grows in the UAE - mint, parsley, coriander, rosermary, you name it. Grow the herb that is used the most at your home,” she said.

Just keep the pot facing the sun, but not in harsh sunlight.

If you have a balcony, your options increase significantly. Buy bigger pots and you could have your very own home garden. From kale to corn, onions to tomatoes, you simply need to follow basic guildelines for each vegetable to have a good produce.

For those with a patch of land near their villas, Mariam recommends growing trees like neem, mango or Sapodilla - commonly known as Chikoo.

“We have two main seasons - winter and summer. During the winter you can grow all kinds of vegetables - everything. Even strawberries. During summer, you can grow watermelon, zucchini, onion, kale or carrot,” she said.

Some basic mistakes that people make while growing vegetables is not giving the plants the right amount of sunlight and overwatering.

“Especially when you have a seed, remember that is is a baby and doesn’t need too much food. So, don’t water it too much, all it needs is some moist soil.”

That’s why we crated an application which people can download to get all the information they need.”

To share information with people freely, Mariam has created a free application called Al Ebdaa Al Zahabi, which is currently only available on iOS. If you would like to register for the Dubai Municipality campaign, visit www.growyourfood.ae

By Huda Tabrez Community Web Editor

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