Dubai Industrial City Leads Sustainability Efforts with MOCCAE

Dubai, UAE, 12 December 2024:: Her Excellency Eng. Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sustainable Communities Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), visited Dubai Industrial City, the region’s leading manufacturing and logistics hub for more than 20 years, as part of the UAE's Planting Week, an ongoing programme to raise awareness of environmental preservation and biodiversity.  

Her Excellency participated in a tree-planting initiative within Dubai Industrial City’s worker accommodation community, which comes in line with the ‘Plant the Emirates’ National Programme, the ‘Our Green Emirates’ initiative, and Planting Week and symbolises the collaborative efforts of both organisations to strengthen the UAE’s culture of future-focused environmental sustainability. The initiative reaffirms Dubai Industrial City’s contribution towards the UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the Dubai Food Security Strategy, which prioritise sustainable agricultural practices and reliable food supply through localised production and knowledge-sharing.  

The visit underscored the shared commitment of MOCCAE and Dubai Industrial City, one of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 vibrant business districts, to advance sustainability, bolster national food security, and drive economic diversification in line with the UAE’s strategic vision for long-term prosperity.  

Her Excellency Eng. Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi said: "We are delighted to contribute to the tree-planting initiative in the area designated for workers’ housing in Dubai Industrial City. This aligns with the ‘Plant the Emirates’ National Programme, the ‘Our Green Emirates’ initiative, and Planting Week. Our goal is to foster collaboration among the private sector, stakeholders, and community members to support the vision of our leadership in promoting environmental sustainability and upholding best practices that contribute to sustainable communities connected to nature. We encourage all private sector and other entities to introduce additional initiatives to expand the planting of indigenous and crop-bearing trees across the nation.”

She added: “Dubai Industrial City highlights the potential of innovation and technology in advancing the UAE's environmental and food security goals. The UAE is committed to advancing global food security by prioritizing sustainable agricultural practices and building resilient food supply chains. The state-of-the-art facilities at Dubai Industrial City, including Sokovo’s vertical farm, represent the future of agriculture and showcase the powerful synergies between the private and public sectors.”  

Her Excellency Al Harmoudi also toured Sokovo Nature Farms’ advanced vertical farm as part of her visit to Dubai Industrial City. Sokovo’s state-of-the-art facility, with a plot size of more than 100,000 sq.ft. within the district’s dedicated food and beverage (F&B) zone, exemplifies the potential of advanced manufacturing in the food production sector. The farm’s hydroponic systems optimise resource utilisation, minimise water consumption, and maximise the yield of leafy greens and microgreens for supply across hypermarkets, hotels, and restaurants in the country.  

Sokovo’s vertical farm is located within Dubai Industrial City’s dedicated F&B zone, which spans more than 23.5 million sq.ft. It welcomed 12 new businesses in 2023 alone, representing AED 800 million in cumulative investments. Industry leaders like Asmak, Barakat Quality Plus, and Patchi benefit from the district’s purpose-built infrastructure to contribute towards regional and global food security.  

“Nurturing innovation and enhancing synergies between manufacturing and the F&B sector can strengthen the UAE’s position as a global leader in sustainable industrial development,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group, on behalf of Dubai Industrial City.  

“Dubai Industrial City’s partnership with MOCCAE, exemplified by Her Excellency Alia Abdul Rahim Al Harmoudi’s visit as well as our role as the home of innovative businesses like Sokovo, underscores our dedication to realising the UAE’s ambitious vision for a sustainable future. We will continue to grow our collaborative ecosystem that integrates advanced manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, and robust logistics by working with our partners to drive significant progress towards achieving the goals of Operation 300bn, Make it in the Emirates, and Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’.”

Formalised on the sidelines of the launch of its Make Brilliance global awareness campaign in May 2023, Dubai Industrial City’s strategic partnership with MOCCAE further solidifies the commitment to promoting advanced manufacturing and sustainable practices within the industrial sector.

Dubai Industrial City is home to more than 1,100 local, regional, and international customers as well as 350 operational factories, including industry leaders such as A.P. Moeller-Maersk, Patchi, and Al Barakah Dates. Customers at the district produce more than 70 megawatts in clean energy each year, with Dubai Industrial City’s community also set to benefit from its memorandum of understanding with global technology company Siemens, signed on the sidelines of its 20th anniversary celebrations in November 2024, to nurture industrial excellence for long-term sustainable development.  

Strategically located close to vital transport networks, including Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, an Etihad Rail freight terminal, and key regional roadways, Dubai Industrial City enables the circular economy through six sector-specific zones that offer world-class infrastructure such as land, and storage and logistics spaces.  

Dubai Industrial City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts that include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Design District (d3), and Dubai Science Park.