Egyptian agritech company unveils soilless solution to water shortage

The company, Plug ‘n Grow, said it was offering a wide range of hydroponics solutions to growers. According to the agriculture ministry in Egypt, water scarcity is among the issues plaguing the country’s farmlands.

Another concern is the shrinking of arable land, which is forcing many smaller farms to shut down.

The UN said in a statement that Egypt was expected to be categorised as water-scarce by 2025 due to climate change and a recently built dam in Ethiopia that had drastically dropped the fresh water supply from the Nile.

The river is the main source of fresh water to Egypt. Urbanisation is another reason for the reduction of arable land as Egypt is mostly made up of desert lands, said the UN.

To provide a solution to “feed the country”, Plug ‘n Grow introduced its soilless solutions. According to the company, it uses sand or foam to grow plants, which reduces the amount of water that the plants need.