The future of farming is sustainable and smart. KAUST researchers are using flexible, lightweight, easy-to-install thin-film solar cell screens and semitransparent solar cell windows on greenhouses to both optimize plant growth conditions and generate electricity. Emerging sensors and remote sensing tools offer an improved capacity to track and monitor water use and account for the carbon generated. Self-cleaning solar panels are used in arid dusty regions to ensure power supply. Fresh vegetables are grown using saltwater via technology that reduces typical greenhouse cooling requirements and ensures efficient plant growth. Organic waste is recycled for desert agriculture, increasing food security while significantly reducing water consumption and pollution to fight desertification and climate change.