UAE consortium teams on Salicornia project

In the UAE, under the auspices of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) has signed an agreement with eight farms in Al Khatam and Al Khaznah, at the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, to launch a research project to tap the potential of reject brine, wastewater from desalination units, for the cultivation of Salicornia and fish farming. Four farms will cultivate Salicornia, a multipurpose salt-tolerant plant with good economic returns for its use in the manufacturing of some food and biofuel products. Meanwhile, the other four farms will raise certain fish species depending on reject brine, while using aquaculture effluent for the cultivation of Salicornia.