Manhat, an Emirati-founded start-up launched in 2019, wants to be among the first to introduce a new technology to generate fresh water from the ocean without using electricity.

Emirati founder Saeed Alhassan told Business Extra host Cody Combs on the sidelines of the Cop28 climate summit that the start-up is using proprietary natural water distillation technology to speed up and capture the evaporation of ocean water on the surface.

Mr Alhassan added that wants to harness his invention to build floating farms, using the fresh water collected to irrigate and grow crops right at the source.

The technology is solving a major hurdle as the Arabian Gulf seeks ways to ensure water and food security, which has historically been problematic given the climate in the region.