The face of farming in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly changing. With a 70% increase in global food demand expected by 2050, and climate change affecting agricultural production, innovation is proving key to easing food insecurity. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has launched a campaign to unite businesses with innovation and funding to tackle such issues. The campaign aims to increase domestic production and self-sufficiency of selected food items while improving the income of UAE farms, without compromising food trade.
Local farms are at the heart of the National Dialogue for Food Security, which will be supported to become major suppliers in the UAE to help reduce reliance on imported goods. The project will develop a platform for emerging innovation in food production to improve the use of hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic farming that uses minimal resources to produce a high yield of fresh fruit and vegetables while providing a gateway into the mass market.
Under the plan, bodies will increase their purchases of fresh national food products to 50% by the end of this year, 70% by 2025 and 100% by 2030. Food products and plant varieties identified in the first phase include red meat, poultry, eggs and other dairy products, dates, leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and aubergine. A study is currently being conducted to identify more products for the second phase.
The drive aims to increase the use of precision farming, using data science and agricultural engineering, to increase yields, while high-tech greenhouses and vertical farms are reducing the need for water. In livestock agriculture, gene editing, bio-engineering, and smart tech to monitor cattle more closely are being used to increase meat production to keep up with consumer demand and close the food price gap. Alternative proteins, derived from non-animal sources, such as insects and plant-based meats, are also likely to become more common.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s recent statistics show there are 38,000 farms operating in the UAE. Total UAE vegetable production is about 156,000 tonnes annually, with more than 500 tonnes of field crops and feed, while fruit production is about 200,000 tonnes. Domestic production of vegetables currently meets more than 20% of the total demand in the country.
The UAE has taken strategic steps to promote food security, such as deploying advanced technology to strengthen the local food production sector, enhancing its contribution to closing the food gap and tackling food loss and waste by launching several initiatives, like Ne’ma, to promote the sustainability of national farms. Ne’ma is a campaign aimed at curbing food loss and waste by encouraging responsible consumption.
Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and Minister of State for Food Security, said recent global crises have underlined the need for promoting food security in the UAE. “These initiatives aim to enhance food security in the UAE by boosting production and marketing effectiveness for local farms, particularly those following a modern and sustainable approach,” she said.
In a meeting on Monday to discuss the latest developments, it was revealed that a farm in Maliha in Sharjah had produced more than 15,000 tonnes of protein-enriched wheat. It is the latest example of how staple foods can be produced sustainably in the UAE.
About Author
