Mariam Almheiri Welcomes Bill Gates To UAE For Agricultural Innovation Project Updates

Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, recently welcomed Bill Gates to the UAE. Gates, Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, visited for an update on a project launched a year ago. This initiative is a partnership between the Gates Foundation and the UAE focusing on agricultural innovation and food system transformation in response to climate change.

The collaboration was announced during COP28 in the UAE. Together, they invested US$200 million in agricultural innovation. This investment aims to leverage AI and technology to address both immediate and long-term threats to food systems caused by climate change. Since its inception, this funding has supported organisations like CGIAR, which are pioneering agricultural innovations to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers globally.

During his visit to Emirates Palace, Almheiri met with Gates for bilateral discussions. The meeting included notable figures such as Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President on Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs. Al Bannai is also Secretary General of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC). The visit concluded with a tour of four significant projects funded by the partnership.

One project is the CGIAR AI Hub and AgriLLM, which explores using large language models (LLMs) for automating initial interactions in agriculture extension services. This is particularly beneficial for smallholders in low- and middle-income countries facing resource constraints due to climate change. Another initiative is the International Red Palm Weevil Consortium, aiming to unite international organisations and stakeholders to mitigate threats posed by the Red Palm Weevil worldwide.

The Technical Assistance project has established the Future Food Systems program. It supports 15 countries in developing four core analytical products: Agrifood System Diagnostic, Economywide Risk Profile, Climate-Agriculture Vulnerability Assessment, and Integrated Mitigation-Adaptation Assessment Report. These products are designed to inform their NDCs, NAPs, NAIPs, and NDPs.

Weather Forecasting Innovations

AIM for Scale Weather & AI-based Weather Forecasting focuses on scaling cost-effective innovations to improve farmers' livelihoods in low- and middle-income countries. AIM for Scale leads an Innovation Package that generates high-quality weather forecasts tailored for hundreds of millions of farmers over the next two years.

Mariam Almheiri expressed pride in showcasing these initiatives. She stated, "The UAE has taken concrete steps to turn pledges and investments into action. The groundbreaking work on display today is a testament to the UAE’s commitment and global leadership on food security and agricultural innovation." Almheiri also mentioned her delight at having Bill Gates witness firsthand progress made against global agricultural challenges due to climate change.

Faisal Al Bannai remarked on their shared vision with Gates: "Meeting with Bill Gates highlighted our shared vision of harnessing AI and technology to address global challenges." He added that with AI71's agri-tech solutions powered by TII's Falcon models, they aim to enhance food security, sustainability, and inclusive growth. Al Bannai emphasised that "The UAE is committed to advancing this vision through innovation and partnerships."

With inputs from WAM