Bustanica, a consortium between Emirates Flight Catering and Crop One, has opened the doors to the world's largest vertical vegetable garden in Dubai. The 30,658-square-meter facility will produce more than 1,000 tons of leafy greens per year and is located near Al Maktoum International Airport, according to a statement sent to the press..

According to Emirates Crop One quoted by the newspaper Económico, this will be the first vertical vegetable garden to cater to more than 100 airlines. The technology used will allow 95% less water to be used than traditional agriculture.

"Bustanica is driven by cutting-edge technology and an expert in-house team," the company explains in a statement. The team includes "specialized agronomists, engineers, horticulturists and scientists. The goal is to maintain a continuous production cycle, ensuring the freshness and cleanliness of the products, which the company guarantees are grown "without pesticides, herbicides or chemicals.

The project totals an investment of almost 40 million dollars by Emirates. Inaugurated at the end of last month, these facilities will allow an annual saving of around 250 million liters of water, emphasizes the company.

In this first phase, Bustanica's products will be used for in-flight meals on Emirates airplanes, but the expectation is that production will grow enough to reach the country's supermarkets.

According to Crop One CEO Craig Ratajczyk, the partnership with Emirates' catering company aims to promote "a sustainable future" and meet "the global demand for fresh, local food." This first vertical farm is a "model for what is possible in the world," he says, also stressing that Bustanica's activity will have no impact on the world's resources, with fertile soils under threat, and will be resilient to the weaknesses of traditional agriculture, namely dependence on water, weather effects or pests.