Page 385 - MOET PR REPORT- SEPTEMBER 2025

UAE Food Cluster. He highlighted the Food Innovation Hub UAE, launched at COP28, as a key
platform driving resilience through agri-tech and public-private partnerships. With technologies
such as vertical farming, hydroponics, and precision agriculture reshaping the local food
ecosystem, he emphasised how the UAE is paving the way for a more secure and sustainable food
future. He added that the UAE Food Cluster will remain a model of collaboration, uniting
government, business, and academia to accelerate growth and competitiveness.

Established by the Ministry of Economy as part of the National Food Security Strategy 2051, the
UAE Food Cluster is the nation’s first dedicated platform to unify stakeholders across the value
chain. Since its launch, the Cluster has engaged more than 700 partners spanning over 500
companies, set targets to grow the sector’s GDP contribution from AED30 billion to AED40 billion by
2028, expand food trade from AED 25 billion to AED40 billion, and create some 20,000 new jobs,
positioning the UAE as a hub for global food innovation.

At this year’s Forum, the Cluster also launched the Knowledge Hub, designed to connect academia
and industry, and the Global Buyers Programme, which facilitates international market access for
UAE producers. The day also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between GS1 Emirates Limited and UAE Food Cluster CLG FZCO to collaborate on the creation of a
universal product catalogue for the UAE’s food and beverage sector. The agreement outlines a joint
commitment to digitalize product data using GS1 global standards, enabling enhanced traceability,
fraud prevention, and better management of parallel imports through validated product information
at entry points.

The initiative will unify product identification across stakeholders, integrate with key government
and commercial databases, and support regulatory compliance. This collaboration is expected to
significantly improve efficiency, strengthen consumer trust, and support the UAE’s food security
agenda by fostering seamless cooperation between public and private sector players.
Saleh Lootah, Chairman at UAE Food Cluster, said: “At this year’s Forum, we are providing a
collaborative platform where key stakeholders can come together and plant the seed to new
initiatives and partnerships to spark the next phase of growth. Our commitment remains on
strengthening global trade connections and advancing long-term food security, here and beyond.”

Partners also reaffirmed their commitment, with Hassan Safi, CEO of Al Ain Farms commenting:
“As a founding partner, Al Ain Farms is proud to sponsor the Future Food Forum 2025. This reflects
the wider commitment of Al Ain Farms Group to support the UAE’s vision for resilient and
sustainable food systems. The Forum is where collaboration and ideas turn into action, and
through the Group’s leadership we aim to strengthen food security here at home and contribute to
solutions with regional impact.”

Day one of the Forum reinforced the UAE’s leadership in shaping the global food agenda. Strategic
discussions explored new models for resilient and integrated food ecosystems, highlighted how
CEPA agreements are creating manufacturing and export opportunities, and showcased how global
best practices such as Switzerland’s Food & Nutrition Valley can inform local strategies, positioning
the Cluster as a model for accelerating competitiveness through collaboration. Panels on SMEs,
logistics, consumer trends, and sustainable proteins further underlined how the UAE is aligning
global trends with its national priorities.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bluqjgu-future-food-forum-2025-opens-dubai-reinforces