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10/16/24, 11:39 AM HE Abdullah Bin Touq Al Marri opens Future Food Forum 2024 - LogisticsGulf
role in the regional food sector and the Food Cluster Strategy in enhancing food
security and sustainability through public-private collaboration.

The two-day event was organised by UAE Food & Beverage Business Group

F&B Business Group (F&B Group) under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of
Economy, focusing on the theme ‘Future Consumer, Future Government, and
Future Food’ in strategic partnership with the Dubai Chamber and features
FoodTech Valley as an organising partner.

In his inaugural address, HE Al Marri emphasised the significance of the UAE’s
Food Cluster Strategy, which was launched at last year’s Forum. “With more than
15 working sessions and 300 participants, over 20 actionable initiatives are
currently in design, which include Made in the UAE Food, Agri-Science
Universities, Ecosystem Data Sharing platforms, Value Chain Finance Programs,

and Food Fraud and Shield Programs,” he stated.

Initiatives

He reaffirmed that these initiatives aim to increase the food sector’s contribution
to the UAE’s GDP by US$ 10bn and create 20,000 jobs by 2030, and said, “The
UAE’s commitment to food security is evident from the fact that UAE has placed

food security as a national priority, since the 2007 global food crisis. We are proud
of our progress in domestic food production, with the aim of reducing food imports
from 90% to 50% by mid-century,” he continued.

HE Al Marri highlighted the growth potential of the GCC food and beverage
sector, which is expected to hit US$ 128bn by 2029, and urged the industry to
harness this momentum to drive the UAE’s cluster strategy further.

“In line with the UAE Food & Agricultural Transformation Strategy, we are well on
track to increase food sector contribution to the GDP by US$10 billion and create
more than 20,000 jobs. This growth should not remain a statistic—it represents
livelihoods, opportunities, and a sustainable future for our country. Together, we

can innovate for a sustainable tomorrow and ensure that the UAE remains a
global leader in food security,” he concluded.

A Virtual Ecosystem for Data and Partnerships

One of the key announcements, as F&B Group Chairman Saleh Abdullah Lootah
opened the event, was the launch of the UAE Foodverse by the F&B Group. This

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