The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has signed two Musataha contracts worth a total of AED310 million ($84.3 million) with two local private sector companies to establish and operate two farms, one in Al Ain and the other in Abu Dhabi.

The first Musataha contract was signed with Emirates Hydroponics Farms for a total investment of AED260 million to establish and maintain a hydroponic farm for the production of vegetables, fruits, and mushrooms for canning in a controlled environment. The farm, which will be built in the Abu Dhabi region, will cover 325,000 square metres.

The second Musataha contract was signed with the Emirates International Agricultural Advanced Company for the establishment and operation of a farm for the production of vegetables and fruits in a net house system, as well as the cultivation of azola and jojoba plants and fish farming, according to ADAFSA.

The Al Ain farm will be built on a 750,000-square-meter plot of land at a cost of over AED50 million.

The farm's production contributes to the UAE's food security system and the ADAFSA's efforts to develop and modernise Abu Dhabi's agriculture industry in order to ensure its long-term viability.

The two projects are part of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority's efforts to expand agricultural projects and investments, as well as expand collaboration with private sector companies, in order to ensure Abu Dhabi's agricultural and food development is sustainable, according to the statement.