Dake Rechsand showcased breathable sand technology and desert landscaping at Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week, offering up to 80% water savings.
Dake Rechsand, a Dubai-based company offering sustainable solutions in water conservation and desert farming, highlighted the unique capabilities of its breathable sand technology at the recent virtual Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) event during Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week.
80% water savings
As part of the virtual event, Chandra Dake, CEO and Founder of Dake Rechsand showcased a presentation where he talked about transforming deserts into arable land in the UAE, with the help of his company’s breathable sand. A one-time application of this technology results in up to 80 percent water savings, compared to conventional methods, according to Dake. Dake Rechsand’s breathable sand has unique water retention properties, combined with air permeability, which can massively empower the sustainability and ease of landscaping, in residential and commercial projects within the UAE.
The breathable sand can also be used to collect rainwater that falls on any surface – including roads, streets, paved areas, offices, schools, parking spaces, and even playgrounds – to create a decentralized rainwater harvesting network, which can result in an untapped new source of potable water. Dake Rechsand has created a patented ‘Honey Comb’ water harvesting system, which allows water to be stored for up to seven years – keeping it fresh and free of algae, without the use of chemicals and no energy input.
Abundant crops
Dake Rechsand has demonstrated the potential of its technology at Al Ajban farms, Abu Dhabi. The high dependence that Al Ajban farms had on desalination plants, for irrigation, led to it having a high carbon footprint. The deployment of the breathable sand and the resulting project allowed Al Ajban farms to grow abundant and high quality pulses, beans, tomatoes, chillies, mangoes and lemons; all while using little to no fertilizers, and reducing water usage by 70 to 80 percent, on average.
The technology has already been used in China to turn over 2,000 square kilometres of desert into green cover. In the UAE, the Ministry of Education has applied the technology in several schools, while Ras Al Khaimah Municipality has agreed to plant 1,000 trees using the technology, in the first phase of a project it is undertaking. Dake Rechsand is also the technology and implementation partner for tree plantation drives launched by Jabel Ali Resorts and Nakheel. Dake Rechsand has previously urged businesses to become involved in planting trees to benefit the environment.
