Page 550 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - FEBRUARY 2025 Part 1

As part of the strategy, a board was formed to increase collaboration between industry leaders and
policy makers while the Cluster Champion Award was launched to recognise companies that
demonstrated excellence in innovation and best practice in the food and beverage industry.
Additionally, more than 20 working groups were activated to tackle priority issues like supply chain
resilience, local food production, and technology adoption.

He added that the initiative will help meet local market needs and position the UAE as a leading
food exporter to key regional and global markets to support the support the country’s goals of
increasing the national GDP to Dh3 trillion by the next decade.

Improving self sufficiency
He said that the UAE “has long recognised” the importance of food security and sustainability
and are “actively transforming the food system” to be more resilient and self-sufficient, adding that
food security is a “fundamental pillar to our national agenda.”

AlMarri then went on to explain what the country had done to ensure self-sufficiency. “We invested
in advanced food production technologies, including vertical farming, hydroponics and precision
agriculture,” he said. “We also strengthened our policy with a public-private partnership to enhance
food supply chain resilience. Lastly, we supported sustainable food production practices that
minimise environmental impact and reduces water and energy consumption.”

Call to action

AlMarri said that artificial intelligence, blockchain and big data analytics are revolutionising “the
way we manage food supply chain, ensure food safety, and enhance production efficiency” and
that the UAE is “actively investing in these technologies” to stay ahead of the curve. He said it was
the time to act.

“Invest in research and development here in the UAE in pioneering breakthrough food
technologies,” he said to exhibitors. “Align with the government policies that support food security
and sustainable practices and lastly leverage digital transformation to enhance supply chain
efficiency and resilience.”

He called on everyone to “seize the opportunity to drive meaningful change” and said that it was
important to “invest in the future of food” to create a resilient global food system. “We stand at a
pivotal moment in history,” he noted. “The choices we make today will determine the future of food
security for generations to come.”

https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-invest-in-future-of-food-minister-of-economy-highlights-
pillar-of-national-agenda?amp=1