Sheikha Al Muhairy is an impressive young woman. Just 16 months ago, the 24-year-old Emirati founded Organic Oasis, a farm on family-owned land near her home in Al Khawaneej in Dubai, and she has literally watched it grow into a thriving business that produces 52 types of fruit, vegetables and herbs on its 85,000-square-foot site. The farm has also obtained three types of local and international organic certification: UAE Organic; USDA Organic; and EU Organic from BCS Öko-Garantie GmbH, which is Europe’s oldest organic-certifying body.
Al Muhairy’s interest in farming stems from her passion for food and its provenance. “When I started shopping for organic [produce] and saw the trends that were happening, I began asking questions about where this food was coming from, and was curious to see where the farms were. I went to look and discovered that there are more than 50 organically certified farms in the UAE.”
“My family had land, which was not being utilised properly, so just for the fun of it and to eat, I farmed a field of watermelons. It produced 3.5 tonnes. I was caught off guard – there are only so many melons you can give to your friends. We were growing these huge quantities, which we couldn’t just keep for ourselves, and so the decision was made to sell the produce.”
Original article by Melanie Hunt
Continue reading at The National:
Organic and proud: a healthy approach to farming in the UAE
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