MoCCAE Engages UAE Agriculture And Food Sector In Plant The Emirates Programme For Sustainable Growth

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) recently held a meeting with top private sector agriculture and food companies. This meeting was part of the "Plant the Emirates" national programme. The aim was to explore collaboration opportunities to boost the private sector's role in achieving the programme's goals, initiatives, and activities, thereby promoting sustainable food security in the UAE.

Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, highlighted the importance of partnerships between MoCCAE and the private sector. She stated that these collaborations have led to several initiatives in agriculture and sustainable food security. Dr. Al Dahak emphasised that the UAE's commitment to strengthening agriculture is rooted in the vision set by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The "Plant the Emirates" programme serves as an incubator for ideas, efforts, and innovations. It aims to foster deeper collaboration among stakeholders, including the private sector and wider community. The programme encourages adopting sustainable agricultural practices from farms to households, contributing to expanding green spaces across the UAE.

Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi presented key facts about the UAE's agricultural sector during the meeting. He noted challenges such as a shortage of productive farms, lack of specialised workforce, and weak marketing for local products. Al Nuaimi stressed adopting modern climate-smart agricultural systems in traditional farms nationwide.

The meeting reviewed the 'National Agricultural Centre' which supports Emirati farmers and local farms to boost domestic crop production. The Centre aims to raise productive farms by 20%, increase organic farms by 25%, adopt climate-smart solutions across 30% of farms, and reduce food waste by 50%. It also provides grants for innovative projects focusing on productivity, quality, marketing, and modern technologies.

Amal Abdulrahim outlined goals for developing local agriculture through community involvement in farming efforts. She highlighted key initiatives like 'Plant the Emirates' Festival, campaign, Global Forum, and upcoming National Agricultural Exhibition showcasing local products.

Community Engagement Initiatives

The meeting also introduced the 'AgroTourism Experience' initiative inviting public visits to large local farms to learn about production methods. It will launch campaigns like 'World's Coolest Winter' under "Green Tourism", alongside volunteering programmes encouraging community engagement in afforestation activities.

An open discussion followed where attendees expressed enthusiasm for contributing to programme objectives in future phases. They affirmed readiness to leverage investment, research, marketing capabilities supporting local products' productivity and competitiveness in markets.

"Developing the agricultural sector is critical," said Al Nuaimi. "'Plant the Emirates' and 'National Agricultural Centre' are designed to overcome challenges by supporting farmers and promoting innovation." He emphasised their role in enhancing national food security through strategic objectives aligned with UAE's development goals.

Dr. Al Dahak added that a bold initiative was needed for lasting impact within Emirati society about agriculture's crucial role supporting sustainable growth. She noted that launching 'Plant the Emirates' during 'Year of Sustainability' marks a pioneering milestone towards shaping a sustainable future for UAE.

With inputs from WAM