Integrated Desert Biosaline Farming Innovation Program (IDBFIP)

COP28 Demonstration Site at ICBA Research Farm

Objective

Establish and operate a live demo consisting of:

1. An Integrated Agri-Aquaculture (IAA) system linked to crop production in a symbiotic environment.
2. A solar-powered net house equipped with root zone cooling (RZC) and a closed hydroponic irrigation system.
3. Azolla pond for cultivating nutrient-rich fern, demonstrating its potential as a bio-fertilizer and feed supplement.
4. Integrated field crops and date palm cultivation consisting of both feed and food crops. 

Experiment Details:

Date of sowing: 4 December 2023

Experimental design: Demonstration of the system

Crop: Foxtail millet, Proso millet, Finger millet, and Blue Panicum clones

Irrigation systems: Drippers and hydroponic systems

Irrigation treatments: Water irrigation of millet of about 6 dS/m, and 10 dS/m for blue panicum

Plot Size: 15 x 15 m

Project Partners