Arnoud van den Berg, group chief executive of Al Dahra, is a man on a mission: to turn one of the Middle East's leading agribusinesses into the world's largest irrigated farming platform.
From the company's headquarters in Abu Dhabi, Mr van den Berg is leading a strategy of expansion, technology adoption, and sustainable transformation rooted in the belief that feeding a growing world population must go hand-in-hand with preserving its natural resources.
“We've only just begun,” he tells The National in an interview. “We have the mandate, we have the capital, and we have the proof of concept. Now we are scaling.”
The company, which operates in more than 20 countries and manages approximately 150,000 hectares of land, has set its sights on tripling that figure to 500,000 hectares in the years ahead, with potential to go even further.
“The global market for agriculture is so vast that no one has more than a one per cent share,” Mr van den Berg says. “There's space to grow – and a real need.”
Regenerative Roots
At the heart of Al Dahra's growth strategy is a commitment to regenerative agriculture, a term Mr van den Berg admits lacks a definition, but one he is determined to help formalise. “Like the term 'organic' before it, regenerative farming needs a framework,” he says. “We are working with global organisations to define it clearly and apply it consistently.”
Al Dahra's version includes core practices such as no-tillage farming, reduced pesticide and fertiliser use, and long-term soil health management. These practices are not only environmentally responsible, Mr van den Berg says, but commercially smart. “Healthy soil gives you better yields, requires less water, and lowers input costs. It's a win-win.”
The company's newly updated sustainability report commits to farming 80 per cent of its land regeneratively by 2030. Today, it is at 35 per cent.
“We've set KPIs for every country we operate in,” he says. “It's no longer optional. Every market must contribute.”
Climate realities and data-driven farming
A global water risk assessment recently completed by Al Dahra has revealed startling regional variations and growing unpredictability.
“In 2024, we had more rainfall in southern Egypt than in Romania. That's unheard of,” Mr van den Berg says. “It shows how fast things are changing. You can't farm like its 1990.”
Precision and flexibility are key. Through investment in AI and farm management platforms, Al Dahra is building a digital infrastructure capable of tracking inputs, predicting weather shifts, and optimising planting schedules. For example, Mr van den Berg says that such AI models can predict whether planting a crop a week earlier or later can change yields by 10 per cent. “That's a 10 per cent increase in food with no increase in footprint.”
The company is launching a unified digital farm management system across its operations in Romania, Serbia, Egypt, and Morocco. It's a complex process that requires synchronising equipment, methodology, and mindsets. “First comes the philosophy,” Mr van den Berg says. “Then, the machinery.”
Strategic farming focus crucial in the UAE
Not all forms of agriculture make sense in the UAE, Mr van den Berg says. “I don't think it should be an objective for the UAE to do every potential form of agriculture.”
For instance, growing rice or bananas is, he says, not a good idea. It's not sustainable. “But we can pick the crops in the UAE that we can grow here. Well, for instance, vegetables in the green greenhouses, like potato tomatoes or cucumbers.”
Al Dahra quit its joint venture with Pure Harvest, a high-tech greenhouse operator, last year to refocus on its core competency: large-scale, irrigated, rotational farming.
The model is flourishing in countries such as Romania, where Al Dahra owns the largest contiguous farm in Europe, and Egypt, where desert land has been transformed into high yield, export-ready farmland.
“We see similar potential across Africa and Latin America,” Mr van den Berg says.
The company is now in discussions with 10 African governments for long-term land leases, aiming to build large-scale farms that can boost local food security. “Ninety-nine per cent of food in Africa is grown by smallholder,” he says. “But large-scale farming allows for capital investment, irrigation, and yields that are ten times higher. That's how you solve food insecurity.”
Latin America, by contrast, is viewed more as a platform for export. Al Dahra plans to acquire underperforming farms in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, and upgrade them with regenerative methods. “If we apply the regenerative practices that we typically do, we can upgrade the soils and have better yields. So we intend to invest to upgrade and bring these farms to full potential.”
Looking ahead to 2030
In five years, Mr van den Berg hopes, Al Dahra will be able to demonstrate that its strategy has delivered: tripling farmland, halving emissions, and a taking a major role is feeding the 25 per cent global population increase anticipated by 2050.
“We're not just growing crops,” he says. “We're growing a platform. One that is digital, sustainable, and global in scope. And if we succeed, we'll feed more people using less land, less water, and fewer resources.”
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When is VAR used?
• Goals
• Penalty decisions
• Direct red-card incidents
• Mistaken identity
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
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The specs
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Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Paatal Lok season two
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
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No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Overview
What: The Arab Women’s Sports Tournament is a biennial multisport event exclusively for Arab women athletes.
When: From Sunday, February 2, to Wednesday, February 12.
Where: At 13 different centres across Sharjah.
Disciplines: Athletics, archery, basketball, fencing, Karate, table tennis, shooting (rifle and pistol), show jumping and volleyball.
Participating countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Qatar and UAE.
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Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
