Mariam Almheiri Emphasises Agricultural Innovation And AI Tools For Smallholders At COP29

Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs at the Presidential Court, emphasised the significance of partnerships and technological advancements in transforming food systems amid climate change. Her remarks came during a series of key events at COP29 in Baku. These discussions followed the announcement of a partnership between the UAE and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on agricultural innovation at COP28 last year.

Almheiri took part in a fireside chat at the UAE Pavilion, co-organised by the UAE, CGIAR, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The event, titled "Partnering to Create AI-based Public Goods for 500 Million Smallholders," focused on enhancing access to agricultural extension services. These services are crucial for improving the lives of millions of smallholder families globally.

The discussion highlighted how generative AI could be a powerful tool for delivering agricultural research and extension services in climate-vulnerable regions. Almheiri stated, "Extension workers and farmers could be well served by gaining access to a new generation of digital tools powered by regenerative AI technology, such as large language models."

She further elaborated on the AgriLLM project launched with global partners at COP29. This initiative aims to leverage UAE’s Falcon LLMs to provide accurate information to farmers worldwide. "As a first step, the AgriLLM will aim to act as a decision-support tool for agricultural researchers, development professionals and extension agents," she added.

In Azerbaijan, Almheiri also engaged in an event centred on AIM for Scale, titled "Empowering small-scale producers with farmer-centered weather information." She participated in a fireside chat moderated by Professor Amir Jina. Discussing its importance, she said, "Imagine empowering hundreds of millions of farmers with the most critical climate knowledge they need to secure their future: weather forecasts."

Almheiri noted that improved climate services help farmers make informed decisions about planting and harvesting. She remarked on AIM for Scale's purpose: "Innovation is the lifeblood of climate action and at the heart of AIM for Scale." The UAE is committed to fostering a global ecosystem supporting groundbreaking technologies for transitioning to net-zero futures.

UAE's Commitment to Climate Action

During this event, Almheiri announced UAE’s commitment to AIM for Scale’s Weather Innovation Package through a new AI-based Weather Forecasting Research and Training Programme led by MBZUAI. This programme will collaborate with global technical partners like the World Meteorological Organisation and University of Chicago.

The initiative aims to develop AI techniques for weather forecasting while providing technical training to over 30 country partners over three years. Earlier that week, Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak joined multilateral banks and senior representatives at AIM for Scale Launch Event hosted at the UAE Pavilion.

Funding Commitments for Climate Initiatives

This launch event served as a platform to introduce AIM for Scale’s first Innovation Package—a blueprint aimed at scaling access to high-quality weather forecasts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The initiative successfully mobilised $1 billion in funding commitments.

Martien van Nieuwkoop from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation commented on their partnership with UAE: "At COP28, the United Arab Emirates and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation launched a new partnership to invest in agricultural innovation." This collaboration addresses urgent needs faced by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia due to climate change threats.

The ongoing efforts underscore UAE's dedication towards innovative solutions that address pressing global challenges related to agriculture and climate change adaptation strategies.

With inputs from WAM