Tathmeer and SPARK unveil MENA’s first integrated Agri-Tech Innovation Centre.
Sharjah: A new agricultural technology centre in Sharjah will provide farmers and technology companies with a real-world environment to test artificial intelligence, vertical farming, hydroponics and other smart agriculture solutions before commercial deployment.
Tathmeer Agri Tech, an AgriTech crowdfunding platform approved by the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) and compliant with Sharia principles, has partnered with Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK) to establish what it says will be the MENA region’s first Integrated Agri-Tech Innovation Centre.
The facility will be developed on a dedicated site within SPARK and will serve as a testing and demonstration hub for technologies aimed at increasing agricultural productivity while reducing water consumption and the use of other resources.
The centre will integrate a range of technologies, including controlled-environment agriculture, hydroponics, vertical farming, automation, Internet of Things (IoT) systems and AI-powered monitoring solutions.
Farmer training and innovation
The facility will also support applied research and development, provide training for farmers, assist with technology selection and encourage the growth of AgriTech start-ups. It is also expected to strengthen connections between agricultural producers, technology providers, investors and markets.
The initiative comes as the UAE continues efforts to increase domestic food production while tackling key agricultural challenges, including water scarcity, limited availability of arable land and demanding climatic conditions.
From testing to market
A key component of the new centre will be Tathmeer’s FarmBridge digital platform, designed to connect farmers with technology providers, investors, government entities, entrepreneurs, supply-chain operators and food and beverage companies.
The platform aims to help farmers address three fundamental commercial questions: what crops to grow, how best to produce them and where they can be sold.
New agricultural technologies will be tested under real-world conditions, giving farmers and investors an opportunity to evaluate their effectiveness and commercial viability before making significant financial commitments.
Layth Dwairi, CEO and co-founder of Tathmeer Agri Tech, said the centre would help address a major challenge for growers looking to adopt emerging technologies. He said farmers across the region often lack opportunities to test solutions before investing substantial capital, a gap the new facility is designed to bridge.
Dwairi said the partnership with SPARK would allow farmers to evaluate controlled-environment agriculture, vertical farming systems and AI-powered monitoring technologies under real operating conditions. Solutions that demonstrate strong potential could then be connected to financing through Tathmeer’s SCA-approved platform and to potential buyers through FarmBridge.
He added that the collaboration with Elevate Farms would introduce internationally proven vertical farming technology to the centre.
Dwairi said the initiative’s success would ultimately be measured by whether farms can increase production while using less water and establish a clear and commercially viable route to market.
Technology partnership
Tathmeer has also joined forces with Elevate Farms, a vertical farming technology company with operations and a presence across Canada, the United States and Switzerland, further strengthening the centre’s access to internationally developed agricultural solutions.
The partnership is expected to provide the centre with access to advanced vertical farming technologies for testing, demonstration and validation, with the potential for successful solutions to be deployed across the UAE and the wider region.
Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SPARK, said the project would bring together technology, applied research, physical infrastructure and market access to help turn innovation into practical commercial opportunities.
He said SPARK’s wider mandate is focused on transforming research, technology and innovation into tangible economic value.
Supporting food security
Al Mahmoudi added that the collaboration reflects the type of investment SPARK aims to attract to Sharjah, particularly from companies developing solutions in strategic areas such as food security, sustainability and economic diversification.
Al Mahmoudi said SPARK would support the development of the Agri-Tech centre by providing land, access to its innovation ecosystem and other facilitation services. The facility is expected to demonstrate new agricultural solutions, strengthen connections with government and industry, and help accelerate innovation in sustainable farming.
Training and testing
Beyond showcasing new technologies, the centre is expected to provide certification, practical field-learning and skills-development programmes for farmers, agronomists, entrepreneurs and other technology adopters.
It will also serve as a testing ground for start-ups and technology providers, allowing them to demonstrate their solutions, validate performance under practical conditions and evaluate their commercial potential.
Tathmeer is also expected to participate in the Agriculture Innovation Zone at Sharjah Next – Sustainability, where technology demonstrations and workshops could form part of the broader innovation programme.
The centre is expected to contribute to the UAE’s wider priorities in food security, sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurship and innovation, while further strengthening Sharjah’s position as a hub for testing, developing and commercialising emerging technologies.
The official signing and announcement are scheduled for September 2026, with SPARK and Tathmeer set to jointly coordinate media activities and engagement with key stakeholders.
