Page 171 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - MAY 2025 ( Part 2)

5/26/25, 3:23 PM 'Make it in the Emirates 2025' opens with drive to strengthen industrial partnerships & global collaboration
Continuing the day's emphasis on inclusive industrial transformation, a high-level

session titled "Farm to Factory: Growing Agritech in the Emirates" spotlighted the

UAE's growing investment in agricultural technology. The session brought together

sector leaders to discuss how agritech is driving food resilience and industrial

diversification through local innovation and sustainable practices.

Ahmed Al Suwaidi, CEO of Al Dahra, and Dr Shamal Mohammed, Head of

AgriTech at Silal and Head of the Innovation Oasis initiative, shared insights on

deploying next-generation technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and

competitiveness.

Al Suwaidi said, "Innovation in agriculture is especially important for countries like

the UAE, with its hot climate and salinated water. Inspired by the founding father,

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who faced doubts about growing anything here

but insisted we would grow everything, we now cultivate 56,000 hectares of arable

land. We collaborate with investment partners, think tanks, and universities to build

an innovation ecosystem that significantly increases crop yields while reducing

water use by up to 70%. Our efforts extend beyond the UAE to strategic markets

such as the US, Serbia, Romania, Spain, and Egypt, where we focus on agritech

solutions to feed more people with fewer resources."

Dr. Mohammed added: "Emiratis have a mindset that views challenges as

opportunities, making the country the right place at the right time for growth.

Agricultural engineering has traditionally attracted limited interest among local

youth, so we are actively engaging and investing in local talent, having recruited 12

graduate trainees from UAE universities."

The third edition of the Make it in the Emirates Awards capped the morning's
sessions with a celebration of excellence across the industrial value chain.

Categories included Factory of the Future, ICV Champions, Industry Enablers and
Strategic Partners, Leadership and Talent Development, and UAE Traditional

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