Oct 28, 2020
Agritecture sat down with Omar Al Jundi, Founder & CEO of Badia Farms, prior to Agritecture Xchange. Omar will be speaking on the panel, Controlled Environment Agriculture: Deep Dive.
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Tell us a little about yourself! What sparked your interest in the field of agriculture and led you to found Badia Farms?
When I was young, I would go with my father to the supermarket every Friday morning. What I would see was fruits and vegetables marked with the flag of their country of origin. We have always been dependent on our essential foods coming from other parts of the world. To add to that, once we finally bring the goods home and bite into it, it’s already lost its flavor and freshness. Living in this part of the world, I have always said that eating is something we do to provide our body with the nutritional essentials, instead of eating to savor food and the experiences it brings us.
When I lived in Holland, I was surprised by the different varieties and tastes offered by food. For example, there were over 200 varieties of tomatoes and each had its own unique exquisite taste, shape, and color. When I was introduced to the concept of hydroponics, a bulb went off in my head, and I realized how I could bring taste and freshness back to the fruits and vegetables we consume in the region.
Lastly, food security is one of the main issues in MENA, and the development of sustainable farming is crucial. We have seen this first hand during the early days of the Covid pandemic. Produce supply chains were halted, and many countries had to reassess their long-term plans and fast-track their commitment to AgTech models.
Can you speak a little about the need for CEA and AgTech in the UAE and the Gulf Region as a whole?
CEA and AgTech are our only ways forward in addressing the growing food security concerns, and to become truly self-sufficient. For much of the planet, CEA became popular as a means to evolve the agricultural industry and to add certain efficiencies to enhance it. In this part of the world, however, that agricultural industry is practically non-existent, so CEA and AgTech have provided us with a viable solution to jump-start the industry. It is time we address our over-dependence on imported produce. I am extremely excited and grateful for what the future of food holds for us in this region.
Did you face any challenges in establishing Badia Farms?
The biggest challenge is that there aren’t any off-the-shelf solutions that can be immediately implemented. In the case of vertical farming, which is still at its infancy stage, we had to design our own grow system to form our IP and ensure we have a commercial operation that will yield high-quality products and profits. Another limitation was not having the talent and agricultural experience in the region. Everyone is still learning and good talent is snatched up quickly.
We surely need a lot more support from the government and the private sector. The government could support the industry by introducing cost-effective initiatives that reduce the operational cost that will ensure the viability of such projects. Educating the public and consumers on the benefits of modern farming and vertical farming is also crucial in ensuring the continuity of this industry.
Similar to any entrepreneur who is at the forefront of new ideas and technologies, there will always be hurdles such as proofing the concept, creating a business out of the idea, establishing the sale channels, excellent management of cash flow, ensuring the team being recruited fits within the culture of the company, and always be in raising funds mode. My two prerequisites before starting any business are to ensure passion for the subject and practice, and secondly, to ensure a realistic business plan that fully understands the ins and outs of the industry, market, product, etc.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell our audience prior to watching you address the panel?
Yes! We are launching our Badia Farms e-commerce platform very soon. A crop will only be harvested once an order has been placed, and arrive to the customer in only a matter of hours. We are continuously increasing our product offerings, and working on moving to our new expanded facility in the UAE. We are planning to expand into Saudi Arabia, and lastly, we are in the midst of our fundraising round.
FURTHER READING
WHY THE GULF REGION URGENTLY NEEDS AGTECH
PURE HARVEST FARMS PARTNERS WITH KUWAITI RETAILER TO BUILD HI-TECH FARM