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Riyadh Indoor Vertical Farming

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

2022 - Ongoing

Clean TechnologiesFood SecurityGreen SpacesUrban Agriculture

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Project Description

Approach Words: Diverse Economy, Sustainability, Urban Resilience

Public Policy Instruments: Financial Mechanism, Organization, Physical Intervention

The Riyadh Indoor Vertical Farming project is the largest automated indoor vertical farm in Saudi Arabia and the tallest in the MENA region¹ ². The project integrates commercial farming with an experiment center, exhibition areas and dining spaces, combining agricultural production with public engagement experiences. The project’s main vision is to “create a profitable vertical farming business, provide jobs for the community, inspire a new generation of agriculture professionals, and feed the families living in the capital city from a sustainable source of clean, safe, and nutritious, fresh produce.” ³ ⁴
The project aims to provide a sustainable and efficient model of food production, showcasing urban farming of high-quality yields with advanced technology in a controlled environment⁵ ⁶. The project aligns with the Saudi 2030 Vision, which aims to promote the Kingdom’s agriculture industry as part of its strategy to diversify the local economy.⁷ ⁸

Title: 3D Visualization of the Mowreq’s Vertical Farm Building in Riyadh

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Title: Construction work for the Vertical Farm Building (Warehouse)

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Title: One of YesHealth Vertical Farm Buildings

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Title: A photo showing the management of a multi-floor vertical farm.

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Title: 3D Visualization of the Mowreq’s Vertical Farm Building in Riyadh

Source: Click Here

Title: Construction work for the Vertical Farm Building (Warehouse)

Source: Click Here

Title: One of YesHealth Vertical Farm Buildings

Source: Click Here

Title: A photo showing the management of a multi-floor vertical farm.

Source: Click Here

To implement these objectives, a warehouse for indoor vertical farming is being constructed in Riyadh’s Second Industrial Area.⁹ The warehouse comprises a built area of 4,500 square meters, reaching 15 meters in height.¹⁰ In specific the warehouse contains the following features:
•A total growing area of 20,000 square meters distributed across 19 layers
•A yield capacity of up to 2,200 kilograms of leafy greens daily
•Production of baby leaves, cabbage vegetables, full-size lettuces, and specialty crops such as edible flowers.¹¹ ¹² ¹³

The project also incorporates an exhibition center expected to welcome over 100 visitors daily, offering educational experiences about indoor vertical farming and sustainable agriculture.¹⁴ Visitors will also have the opportunity to dine while observing the farming activities around them.¹⁵ ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ The farm will utilize cutting-edge agricultural technology, automating the cultivation process from seeding to harvesting.¹⁹

Owner/Developer

Mowreq ³¹

YesHealth ³²

Consultant/Designer

Mowreq ³³

Funder

Agricultural Development Fund of Saudi Arabia ³⁵

Contractor/Implementer

Mowreq ³⁶

Owner/Developer

Mowreq ³¹

YesHealth ³²

Contractor/Implementer

Mowreq ³⁶

Funder

Agricultural Development Fund of Saudi Arabia ³⁵

Consultant/Designer

Mowreq ³³

Initiated in December 2022,²⁰ the project is a joint venture between Mowreq Specialized Agriculture Company from Saudi Arabia and YesHealth Group, which operates a profitable, large-scale indoor vertical farm in Taiwan.²¹ ²² The farm building design is a collaborative effort between Mowreq and YesHealth, with Mowreq overseeing construction alongside local suppliers Commitco and Darat. At the same time, YesHealth is responsible for constructing the vertical farm and providing the equipment.²³ The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund is financing the project, which is set to be one of many planned vertical farms in the country.²⁴ ²⁵

Construction work on the vertical farm is expected to be concluded in July 2024, with farming operations stated to begin in the latter half of the year.²⁶ Equipment installation will require three months, followed by a two-month testing phase. The first crops are anticipated to be harvested in the fall of the same year.²⁷ ²⁸
It is worth noting that another recent joint venture has been announced between AeroFarms, a vertical farming specialist from the United States, and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to develop an additional vertical farming network in the Kingdom.²⁹ ⁱ

Project Link, Endnotes and References

Project Link

https://www.yeshealthgroup.com/farms/mowreq

Endnotes

i For more information about the agreement to build indoor vertical farms in Saudi Arabia with PIF and AeroFarms, available at this link:
https://www.aerofarms.com/pif-and-aerofarms-sign-joint-venture-agreement-to-build-indoor-vertical-farms-in-saudi-arabia/

References