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The most-visited shopping and holiday destination, the capital city of Dubai, renowned for modern, high-tech architecture, may soon turn into a hotspot for agricultural tourism. Dubai, which imports most of its food due to its limited arable land, is set to be transformed by an ambitious project, the Agri Hub, by URB. This is a huge step by the emirate towards food security whilst adding to its list of key tourist destinations. Dubai will add to its brand bag by turning itself into a significant destination for agri-tourism. It plans for the Hub to be "an innovative blueprint for decarbonized rural tourism hubs of the future."
A job-churner, the project will create work for 10,000 people as it is developed and create green job opportunities, which will increase the economic levels of the local residents. Along with this, it will also bring a positive change to the quality of life of the farmers as well as the consumers, and in the bargain, it will improve the local environment and enrich the culture.
The Agri Hub will create spaces for the farmers to sell their products directly to the consumer. It will also feature nature and heritage conservation, eco-tourism, and restorative wellness centres, along with an Agri-tech institute. It is an investment opportunity for the locals, as the Hub will also have sports activities and medical facilities to encourage medical tourism.
Designed to have the minimum impact on the environment, the Agri Hub's landscape will be integrated with bio-saline agriculture and boast renewable energy production. Its semi-subterranean build will allow for passive cooling, increasing the structure's energy efficiency. Some of its other eco-friendly features will be 100 per cent renewable energy, water recycling, and onsite zero-waste management.
A public space, the Agri Hub will be connected by direct bus services from major stations. The plan is to use environment-friendly transit systems such as cycling and electric buggy tracks. Agri Hub is slated to open in 2030.
