Dubai Holding Community Management (DHCM) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding with ReFarm Global to launch “Sea to Soil”, a world-first circular-economy programme that converts marine and organic waste into regenerative landscaping solutions for managed communities.
The partnership introduces an industry-first waste-to-resource model that applies ReFarm’s circular resource recovery technology across DHCM’s portfolio. The initiative creates a scalable framework to recycle algae and other organic waste streams into bio-engineered soil products tailored for community landscaping and maintenance.
Backed by ReFarm’s broader expertise in circular resource recovery and regenerative agriculture, the initiative demonstrates how proven circular technologies can be practically applied to enhance the environment and deliver measurable benefits through a scalable, community-focused solution.
Francis Giani, CEO of Dubai Holding Community Management, said the initiative embeds sustainability into everyday community operations.
“At Dubai Holding Community Management, we believe environmental sustainability is most powerful when it is embedded in the way communities are planned, managed and continuously enhanced. Together with ReFarm, we are turning a natural environmental occurrence into a practical, regenerative solution that creates value within the communities we manage,” he said.
Giani added that Sea to Soil supports the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 targets and aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 17 on partnerships for sustainable development.
ReFarm brings experience in regenerative agriculture and circular recovery systems. Oliver Christof, CEO of ReFarm, described Sea to Soil as a demonstration of regenerative infrastructure’s capacity to convert environmental challenges into measurable benefits.
“Together with Dubai Holding Community Management, we are establishing a scalable circular model that converts naturally occurring marine and organic waste into a valuable resource for healthier landscapes, reduces waste streams and creates more resilient communities. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing practical regenerative solutions that support the UAE’s long-term sustainability and environmental ambitions,” he said.
The collaboration, active since 2024, is expected to divert more than 20 tonnes of algae waste by the end of 2026. That material will be processed into nutrient-rich soil amendments and reused across landscaping projects on Palm Jumeirah to improve soil quality, support plant health and reduce reliance on conventional disposal methods. The first phase targets Palm Jumeirah’s peak algae season from mid-May to September, building a repeatable model for other communities.
The initiative aligns with Dubai Holding Community Management’s wider sustainability strategy, which it said focuses on planet, people and culture, responsible supply chains and governance.
DHCM oversees 54 master communities and 57 jointly owned properties, serving more than 1.6 million residents. By advancing circular economy practices and regenerative landscaping, the programme strengthens the company’s commitment to building smarter, more resilient and future-ready neighbourhoods across Dubai.
ReFarm Global is a private technology and infrastructure group working on regenerative agriculture, landscaping and circular resource recovery.