Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

UAE launches region’s first waste-to-feed project

UAE launches region’s first waste-to-feed project

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, inaugurated the region’s first project that will upcycle organic waste into high-quality products.
The venture by innovative homegrown startup Circa Biotech farms black soldier fly (BSF) larvae, fed by food leftovers before being turned into animal proteins, organic fertilisers, and oils.

During a tour of the company’s headquarters in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Circa Biotech to support the pioneering project.

Speaking at the inauguration, Almheiri said, "This agreement is part of the UAE’s ongoing drive to enhance food security and sustainability based on innovation, green development, and climate change mitigation. The project leverages nature-based solutions to address challenges resulting from the accumulation of organic waste. This way, it creates sustainable economic opportunities that strengthen the resilience of our food supply chain while transforming waste from an environmental burden into an economic resource."

She added, "The world is witnessing a rise in capital funding for insect farming companies. In the UAE, we consider support for innovation and R&D a foundation for raising the efficiency of the circular economy model. Circa Biotech’s project follows the principles of circular economy by using organic waste and the nutrients it contains as inputs into the feed production process, thus enhancing food security.

"To support industries that need insect proteins, we must draw a roadmap to facilitate the imports of agricultural inputs and enhance related government services. This project will contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of the agricultural sector by producing organic feed and fertilisers in a sustainable way. In addition, it will divert organic waste away from the landfill and reduce methane emissions resulting from its decomposition."

Mohamed Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said, "As the only planned and approved R&D cluster in Abu Dhabi, Masdar City is strengthening its position as the primary location for some of the world’s most cutting-edge sustainability projects. With our partner The Catalyst, which is the region’s first accelerator for sustainability-focused start-ups, we are delighted to be home to this groundbreaking food waste management project by Circa Biotech, supported by MOCCAE. This is an invaluable addition to global solutions that will enhance the agritech sector, and Masdar City looks forward to continuing its role in shaping the sustainable industries of tomorrow."

Haythem Riahi, co-founder and CEO of Circa Biotech, said, "At Circa Biotech, we developed an innovative process to upcycle food waste into protein-rich animal feed using industrial insect farming. It’s a commercially viable solution to locally produce animal feed with a highly sustainable process. At a full industrial scale, we plan to produce 22,000 tonnes of animal feed per year."

Circa Biotech’s project will initially produce 1.5 tonnes of organic fertiliser per month. At a later stage, the company plans to expand the production, treating 200 tonnes of food waste per day and upcycling it into the food value chain. This will help meet the increasing local demand for livestock feed. It will also curb the dependence on fishmeal in aquaculture, which is witnessing price increases and instability due to limited supply, with its costs reaching up to 80 percent of expenditure within the industry.

The produced feed is rich in proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins, and has high nutritional value. The larvae can be harvested every 14 days due to the BSF’s short 45-day lifecycle and high fertility. The BSF is considered ideal for feed production, as it does not transmit diseases, does not cause any damage or infestations, and is a non-invasive species. The BSF are reared in an industrial control system (ICS) environment with sensors that record real-time temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels under well-researched lighting. This model ensures optimal resource use and efficient water consumption, and has limited climate change impact and low emissions.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
×