Sharjah grows high-protein wheat in desert, surpassing global standards

The Emirate of Sharjah has achieved a remarkable milestone in desert wheat cultivation, successfully producing second-generation plants of Sharjah Wheat variety that surpassed the global average in the number of spikes and boasted a record protein content of 19.3 per cent, among the highest recorded worldwide.

This compares to a global average of 10-13 per cent for soft wheat and 12-15 per cent for durum wheat. Some plants even produced eight spikes per plant, exceeding the global limit of seven, reflecting the success of genetic selection programmes and preservation of desirable traits.

According to Dr. Fadel Al-Zoubi, Director of Geneva Centre for Studies and a food security expert, Sharjah’s experience represents an exceptional case study in the Arab world and is required to be transformed into a regional platform for developing varieties resistant to climate change and drought.

These findings come at a time when global food supply chains are under increasing pressure due to climate and geopolitical tensions, prompting countries to reassess their agricultural strategies and their capacity to achieve food resilience, he said.

Sharjah’s agricultural experiment relies on an integrated system that includes precision agriculture, AI technologies, ground sensors and satellite imagery for irrigation management and water loss reduction.

This increases productivity by 20-40 per cent and reduces water consumption by up to 30 per cent. The project highlights a successful model for localising the production of strategic commodities such as wheat within a vision aimed at enhancing sustainable food self-sufficiency.

These achievements reflect Sharjah’s commitment to agricultural innovation supported by scientific research and modern technologies, underscoring that food security is no longer linked only to fertile land or water resources, but to technology and efficient resource management, making the project a model to be emulated in facing the challenges of climate change and scarcity of natural resources.