Abu Dhabi Opens New Seed Centre with Storage Capacity of More Than Eight Tonnes

New Facility Opens in Al Dhafra Region

Abu Dhabi has inaugurated a new Seed Preservation Centre in the Al Dhafra region to protect native plant species and support environmental conservation.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra and Chairman of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, officially opened the facility on October 29, 2026.

The centre is designed to preserve and propagate seeds of local plants using sustainable methods.

Its launch is expected to strengthen biodiversity protection and support projects aimed at restoring natural habitats across the emirate.

Cold Storage and Advanced Laboratories

The centre features four specialised cold-storage rooms with the capacity to hold more than eight tonnes of seeds for up to 10 years.

It also includes research and germination-testing laboratories equipped with 24 advanced devices.

One of the technologies uses artificial intelligence to capture seed images and assess their quality.

These facilities will help researchers preserve native plant resources and improve the process of growing plants for future environmental restoration projects.

Nursery Can Produce More Than 500,000 Seedlings Annually

During the visit, Sheikh Hamdan also toured the centre’s nursery, which has the capacity to produce more than half a million seedlings every year.

Three automated irrigation systems have been installed to improve water efficiency.

The systems collect excess water from the irrigation process and reuse it for the seedlings.

The initiative is intended to support the wider effort to increase native vegetation and strengthen the resilience of natural ecosystems against environmental challenges.

Centre Supports UAE Biodiversity Goals

The new facility will work alongside Abu Dhabi’s Plant Genetic Resources Centre in Al Ain, inaugurated in 2024 to preserve the genetic diversity of UAE plants for up to 100 years.

While the Al Ain centre focuses on long-term genetic conservation, the Al Dhafra facility will concentrate on seed preservation, plant propagation and habitat rehabilitation.

Together, the centres create a system that connects seed collection and storage with seedling production and replanting.

The initiative also supports the UAE’s National Biodiversity Strategy 2031 and global biodiversity targets for 2030.