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| Fricke (second left) is seen with other officials during the meeting yesterday |
German-based PlantBacter International has just concluded in Barwa Village a pilot project to test its greening technology – PlantBac-Panels – for green area development and water savings in the desert.
The findings of the pilot project over a period of five months and supervised by Al Nakheel Agriculture and Trading, was presented by PlantBacter managing director Thorsten Fricke to a group of stakeholders at a meeting held at the Ritz-Carlton yesterday.
Fricke said: “PlantBac has the potential to solve major challenges facing Qatar in achieving its environmental sustainability ambitions and it is obvious that the country urgently needs innovation technology for water sustainability.”
He listed a number of impacts the usage of the plant could have on stakeholders in Qatar, including: investing in greening technology; encouraging human development and public awareness in sustainable technology; reducing the need for exchanging of dead and dried plants each year; raising the yield of farm crops; safer future perspectives on water resources and food supplies; cleaner air and healthy environment; and safer roads and less road traffic accidents due to fewer of sand storm because of a more green environment.
During the meeting yesterday, Fricke explained that each panel could last up to eight years in the field where they are applied and the grass or plants there will thrive throughout and will not require to be replaced every year as is being done in the country presently.
Fricke said this sustainable technology can also help the country create more green zones while using less water given the limitations of desalination and the ongoing development works as well as future projects planned by the country.
“The country will definitely need more greens for all these upcoming projects and having more green areas will also help the country in solving the problem of erosion apart from reducing sand movement, which has been linked to respiratory illnesses among residents,” he pointed out.
He also mentioned that the technology is well-suited to Qatar as it could provide solutions for the country’s efforts in agricultural development including food cultivation.
“PlantBac, which cost $10 per sqm, is made of 100% natural fibre comprising materials from trees including palm trees and it has a very high water storage capacity due to its micro-biological surrounding, which helps in reducing water consumption by up to 80%,” he explained.
Fricke stated further that the technology, which is buried in the field before cultivation, creates better root growth for plants including grass and other crops such as fruits and vegetables.
“Our technology also helps make soil of a better quality as its enriches micro-biology components of the soil apart from preventing soil erosion,” he said.
According to Fricke, the company is planning a factory in Qatar, especially with the local availability of PlantBac raw materials, which includes palm trees that are very common in the country.
The technology is presently being used in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Iran aside from Germany, where is it majorly being used for roof-top gardening.
Present at the meeting yesterday were Doha Oasis representative Khalid al-Mohannadi, Plantbacter board member Jan-Hendrih Stroeher and PlantBacter biochemist Dr Rahnad Abdi Bagi.
Al-Mohannadi mentioned that Doha Oasis is supporting the PlantBac project in Qatar because part of the Doha Oasis’ mandate was to ensure reduction in waste generation in the country.
“Our plan is to see waste reduce by recycling and we hope to revive about 320 indigenous flora in Qatar and I believe we can only achieve that by making use of technology like PlantBac,” he said.