The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative has announced 21 teams advancing in its Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture, targeting water-saving innovations.
ABU DHABI: The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative has announced the 21 international teams advancing to the next stage of the Al Miyah Challenge for Agriculture, the first in a series of global competitions under its Al Miyah programme.
The challenge, launched in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), ASPIRE, and Silal Food and Technology, is focused on finding scalable solutions to one of the world’s most urgent problems — water scarcity in agriculture. Selected from hundreds of applicants across 54 countries, the teams represent a diverse mix of startups, research groups, and enterprises, spanning regions from the Middle East and Africa to Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Their innovative approaches cover a wide spectrum: precision irrigation, greenhouse automation, AI-driven crop analytics, biodegradable water-retention materials, microbial soil enhancers, atmospheric water generation, wastewater reuse, biosensors, and advanced water storage systems. Together, these solutions aim to help farmers reduce water consumption while maintaining or improving yields — a critical step for food security in water-scarce regions.
The competition will now move into its next phase, where the 21 teams will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. Finalists will then be selected for real-world testing in the UAE beginning in November 2025, with pilot projects covering both indoor and outdoor farming solutions. The winners will be announced in December 2026 and will share a prize purse of AED 8 million.
Ayesha Al Ateeqi, Executive Director of the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, said: “Water use in agriculture remains one of the greatest areas of opportunity to move the needle on global water scarcity, especially in water-scarce regions. The ingenuity demonstrated by these teams reflects the kind of bold, scalable thinking needed to tackle this urgent challenge.”
Officials from ADAFSA, Silal, and ASPIRE also highlighted the significance of piloting these solutions in the UAE, reinforcing the country’s leadership in food security, innovation, and sustainable agriculture.
The Al Miyah Challenge aims to ensure that practical, field-ready solutions are developed to conserve water while supporting farmers worldwide. To view the full list of qualifying teams, visit www.mohamedbinzayedwi.ae/al-miyah-challenge-for-agriculture
