Kingdoms across the Middle East are adopting and developing digital innovation to become tech empires in the modern age, with sustainable growth being an aspect most of them focus on. But in a region where countries like UAE depend largely on imports to satiate the local supply of food, cultivating farms in the desert remains a challenge.

The race to create a green revolution in the dry climate has already led to integration of vertical farms monitored by AI, into the infrastructure in UAE and Qatar. At the same time Saudi Arabia is making up for its lack of freshwater, by using a method that uses salty sea water to cultivate vegetables.

The process cuts down dependency on fresh water by 90%, and uses saltwater for irrigation and to cool climate controlled green houses. The project is currently based out of King Abdullah University in the kingdom, and is run by a firm called Red Sea Farms.

Further expansion is on the cards with funds pumped into it by major investors including oil giant Aramco. The sustainable agriculture initiative has been introduced shortly after Saudi Arabia unveiled a desalination facility which is powered entirely by the sun and wind's energy.

As Saudi turns to the sea as a resource, Qatar is cutting down dependency on the ocean for supply of sea food, which may be hit by climate change. The gulf nation will be converting its natural gas into protein, which can be used to feed fish at aquaculture farms that aim to fulfill local demand and boost exports.

The Emirates has been busy experimenting with new additions including drones that zap clouds for more rains and sprayable clay that turns sand into soil that holds more water.

The enclosures created by Red Sea Farms in Saudi currently grow only tomatoes, but it's only a matter of time before it cultivates diversity in its offerings.