Agriculture Innovation Controlled Environment Agriculture

Square Roots Partners with Silal’s Innovation Oasis to Advance Climate-Smart Desert Agriculture

Square Roots has signed a landmark collaboration with Silal’s Innovation Oasis to accelerate climate-smart agriculture in desert environments.
(Left to right) Tobias Peggs, CoFounder and CEO, Square Roots. Kimbal Musk, CoFounder and Executive Chair, Square Roots. Svet Varadzhakov, Executive Director, ADQ. H.E. Dhafer AlQasimi, Group CEO, Silal. Image provided by Square Roots.

Key Takeaways

  • Square Roots has signed a landmark collaboration with Silal’s Innovation Oasis to accelerate climate-smart agriculture in desert environments.
  • The partnership includes deploying an AI-powered, modular research facility in Al Ain to test indoor and desert farming solutions.
  • Focus areas include low-light crop genetics, AI-driven cultivation tools, and resource-efficient indoor farming systems.
  • Square Roots will localize its Next-Gen Farmer Training Program to support Emirati agronomists and growers.
  • The initiative aims to fast-track commercialization of scalable farming models aligned with the UAE’s food security strategy.

Square Roots Expands Global Footprint Through UAE Desert Agriculture Collaboration

Square Roots, a global agritech company specializing in modular controlled-climate farming and AI-powered cultivation systems, has entered into a strategic collaboration with Silal’s Innovation Oasis (iO), a research and development hub based in Al Ain. The agreement is designed to advance climate-smart agriculture, strengthen food security, and accelerate the development of farming solutions adapted to desert conditions.

The partnership combines Square Roots’ expertise in indoor crop science, controlled-environment systems, and artificial intelligence with Innovation Oasis’s focus on desert agriculture and applied research. It reflects the UAE’s broader efforts to enhance water efficiency, diversify local food production, and build a next-generation agricultural innovation ecosystem.

H.E. Dhafer Rashed Al Qasimi, Group CEO of Silal, said the collaboration brings world-class agricultural innovation to Abu Dhabi and supports the UAE’s leadership in climate-smart and desert farming by translating advanced research into practical tools for growers.

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1 Comment

  • […] Square Roots, the vertical farming startup co-founded by Kimbal Musk, is undergoing significant operational changes. Known for using shipping containers and artificial light to create year-round farming, the company appeared to be on a strong growth trajectory with a partnership with Gordon Food Service and $90 million in funding as of 2022. […]

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