Mercedes Araoz, Vice President of Peru and Chair of the global Food Forever Initiative, visited Carrefour Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi recently to inspect the newly-opened in-store hydroponic farm. Aráoz applauded the innovative efforts being made by Majid Al Futtaim Retail in the area of sustainable agriculture.

Araoz was visiting the UAE capital to attend the second annual meeting of the Food Forever Initiative hosted by the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE). The meeting was organised in conjunction with SIAL Middle East, the fastest-growing food, beverage, and hospitality event in the region.

Carrefour, which is operated in the UAE by Majid Al Futtaim, unveiled its new hydroponic farms at Yas Mall and Masdar City last month as part of Majid Al Futtaim’s commitment to become Net Positive by 2040 in water and carbon consumption. The soil-less, climate-controlled rooms are one of the latest innovations by the company to support environmentally-friendly practices in the UAE agricultural industry. The herbs grown in-store are harvested daily and sold directly to customers on-site, ensuring their freshness and eliminating ‘food miles’ in their transportation.

The Food Forever Initiative is a global partnership initiated to safeguard crop diversity and raising awareness about the urgency of conserving agricultural biodiversity.