Abu Dhabi halts Rhodes grass planting

Abu Dhabi has halted the planting of Rhodes grass which is an excessive water consumer as part of a strategy to rationalize natural resources and save its sparse water wealth, local newspapers reported on Monday.

“The decision to stop the plantation of Rhodes grass is final and irreversible…it will not be planted from next year,” said Mubarak Ali Al-Qusaili, Executive Director of the farming sector at the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority.

Speaking to local reporters on Sunday, he said the decision is intended to save the emirate’s water wealth as nearly 4,800 Rhodes farm in the emirate drained about 60 per cent of the total irrigation water last year.

Rhodes grass is a summer-growing perennial plant, whose runners provide good soil cover for erosion control.

Rhodes grass is adapted to a wide range of soils, from infertile sands to fertile brigalow clays. It does not tolerate drought or flooding well and is best adapted to areas where annual rainfall exceeds 600 mm.

Rhodes grass is only moderately tolerant of frost, but tolerant of salinity and cool burning. Low oxalate concentrations make Rhodes grass a valuable pasture grass for horses and other cattle.

Abu Dhabi and other UAE emirates are among the poorest nations in water resources given their desert nature.

This has prompted them to rely heavily on sea desalination projects, which provide nearly 70 per cent of the country’s sweet water needs.

The UAE is planning to expand its existing desalination plants and set up new projects to meet a steady rise in domestic consumption, estimated at around 100 litres per person a day, among the highest rates in the world.

Official data showed the UAE, which has the fifth largest proven oil deposits, pumps nearly 14 per cent of the world’s desalinated water.

Water desalination drained nearly Dh11.8 billion from the UAE’s coffers in 2008, an average cost of around Dh7.16 per each produced cubic metre.

“Total consumption of sweet water from ground resources and desalination in the UAE was estimated at around 4.5 billion cubic metres in 2008,” said Mariam Al Shannasi, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Environment and Water.

Her figures showed the UAE had around 70 water desalination stations at the end of 2008 and the bulk of production is in Abu Dhabi, accounting for 67 per cent. Output stood at 18 per cent in Dubai, 10 per cent in Sharjah and the rest is produced in the other emirates.