Smart Greenhouses and the Future of Sustainable Agriculture
In light of the growing challenges the world faces in terms of food security, climate change, and rapid population growth, agricultural technology is emerging as a key solution for achieving sustainable and efficient farming. The Agricultural Technology Exhibition in Amsterdam, Netherlands, held from June 10 to 12, 2025, served as a leading international platform to showcase the latest advancements in these technologies. At the invitation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the DGH Group – Delta, a distinguished delegation of agricultural development experts from Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman) participated, representing government agencies, research centers, universities, and private companies. The presence of the Egyptian Deputy Minister of Agriculture and the Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture underscored the importance and strategic significance of this event.
The exhibition focused primarily on smart greenhouses and the role of robotics and artificial intelligence in revolutionizing modern agriculture, particularly in areas such as precision horticulture, organic, biological, and vertical farming, as well as climate control systems and energy and water solutions. As the world faces growing demand for food and energy, it has become essential to develop a new generation of autonomous greenhouses. In this context, Wageningen University in the Netherlands—which specializes in agricultural research—presented a lecture on these smart greenhouses and their role in promoting smart and sustainable production systems through autonomous control technologies and advanced innovations.
We are now in a completely new phase of agriculture; the current situation cannot be considered sustainable. However, the shift toward smart agriculture opens up vast opportunities to improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and achieve food security. A message to Kuwaiti and Gulf farmers: If you want to secure a foothold in the future of agriculture, you must start adopting smart solutions and implementing modern technological improvements now.
Smart Agriculture: When Plants Speak! The agriculture of the future will be data-driven: plants will be able to “tell you” what they need through sensors and advanced technologies. But how do we achieve this in practice? The answer lies in building a smart infrastructure that includes monitoring and control centers in every greenhouse, measuring precise indicators such as temperature, humidity, and air quality, and analyzing plant health using artificial intelligence. Practical experiments have proven the effectiveness of this approach; in a trial in Mexico, farms that adopted smart farming achieved: • A 15% increase in profitability • A 12% rise in productivity • a reduction in energy consumption of more than 30% These are extremely promising results, opening wide doors for smart agricultural investment, as the ability to predict accurately makes operations safer and more sustainable.
During our visit to the exhibition, we were struck by the massive scale of production in the Netherlands, which ranks first globally in tomato production per square meter. Surprisingly, a farmer in the United Arab Emirates surpassed this figure, confirming that achieving leadership is possible through technology and determination. So when will we reach our maximum production capacity? And are we truly ready for the future?! Perhaps the answer lies in our hands, but it requires bold decisions, investment in innovation, and a commitment to the transition toward smart agriculture