Farming practises that don't harm the environment may be the answer to the region's agricultural problems in the Middle East

To combat the growing water crisis, Middle Eastern governments and politicians must also initiate a seismic shift away from the conventional methods of running agricultural enterprises and toward the use of cutting-edge technical resources.

Since the Middle East and North Africa are the driest parts of the planet, at least 70% of their GDP is threatened by high or extremely high water stress (GDP). By 2050, water shortage is expected to have caused the highest economic losses in the region, with the World Bank forecasting that this problem will cost the region between 6 and 14 percent of its GDP. Since the Middle East is trying to diversify its economy away from its reliance on oil and gas, its governments are investigating possible solutions that can soften the blow of water scarcity on other types of industry.

Governments in the Middle East are battling to address a growing issue: water scarcity, which is having a major influence on economic activity in the region. Because of persistent water shortages, the Middle Eastern agricultural sector has been struggling for decades. To overcome this problem, all relevant parties, including market participants and regional governments, must work together.

The Middle Eastern agriculture business is undergoing a dramatic shift as a result of rising awareness of the necessity of sustainable farming practises. Governmental organisations in the Middle East will have to study novel and high-tech methods that can augment the quality as well as quantity of agricultural produce in the region.

AgTech incentive packages total Dh1 billion

The UAE Government is providing substantial financial and political assistance, both of which are contributing to the sector's meteoric ascent in the UAE. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has authorised a set of incentives packages totaling Dh1 billion ($272 million) to support domestic and foreign AgTech enterprises founded in the UAE.

Part of Abu Dhabi's three-year, $13.6 billion development plan, "Ghadan 21" aims to boost R&D efforts to safeguard the economy through sustainability, and this initiative is a key component of that endeavour. By investing in AgTech with these bundles, the industry is expected to grow and produce over $450 million and 2,900 new employment by 2021.

Creating sustainable food, fuel, and energy all at once

Sustainable food production is one thing, but the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) abundance of desert terrain is being transformed into an advantage thanks to a new creative technology that permits the production of food, biodiesel, and bioenergy all at once. Seawater is pumped into ponds where fish and shrimp are farmed; the wastewater from this aquaculture is used to fertilise salt-resistant crops, known as halophyte plants (capable of growing in arid circumstances), which are then converted into biofuel. Finally, the carbon-storing mangrove plants are transformed into bioenergy, while the excess nutrient-rich water from the process is discharged into mangrove wetlands. Despite the fact that SEAS is still in its pilot phase, Etihad Airways recently operated a commercial Boeing 787 aircraft using biofuel produced in the desert using the SEAS system. Around 150,000 commercial flights have used Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), although SAF still only accounts for 1% of worldwide jet fuel. This is another another instance when progress in one area of sustainability has a knock-on effect in other sectors. Over the following few years, the pilot plant will be expanded to accommodate a major commercial operation across 200 hectares, allowing the UAE to begin contributing a more sizable percentage of global biofuel demand while improving local food security at the same time.

Initiative supported by the United States addresses food insecurity in the Middle East

Before the COVID-19 epidemic disrupted supply lines and put a stress on public spending, millions of people in the Middle East and North Africa were already suffering severely from the effects of famine and malnutrition. Now that the crisis in Ukraine could make things even worse, food prices throughout the world are only going up from here.

Rising global temperatures are exacerbating existing climate crises like water scarcity, soil degradation, wildfires, and rural migration. The agricultural sector and the food security of some of the world's most vulnerable populations are being further stressed as a result.

An ambitious new initiative led by the UAE and the US aims to double investment in climate-smart agriculture over a period of five years, from the $4 billion announced by US President Joe Biden at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, in November to $8 billion by the time COP27 takes place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2020. This is in recognition of the fact that the food crisis is inextricably linked to the climate emergency.

More than 140 public, private, and non-profit organisations from around the world have come together to launch an initiative called the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), with the goal of increasing funding for research into climate change and food insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Following the first ministerial meeting of AIM for Climate at Expo 2020 Dubai in late February, the United Arab Emirates' minister of climate change and environment, Mariam Almheiri, said that while food systems are responsible for up to a third of greenhouse gas emissions, they can also contribute to the solution.

She remarked, "Food systems can be both a challenge and a solution to lowering emissions of greenhouse gases." We need to improve the efficiency, decarbonize, and safeguard the livelihoods of the people who depend on the food-system sector because they number in the billions.

Due to its extreme aridity, the United Arab Emirates imports nearly all of its food (roughly 90% of the country's food needs are met by other countries), but Almheiri argues that partnerships like AIM for Climate are crucial for enabling countries in the MENA region to benefit from the expertise of those in other dry regions. Sustainable development efforts worldwide will also rely heavily on food system adaptation.

We don't have a lot of time to make the switch to sustainable food systems, Almheiri warned. UAE officials have stated their ambition to become a global leader in providing sustainable farming solutions for hot and dry areas.

Salmon, quinoa, and berries, all of which would have been impossible to cultivate in the UAE under normal climatic conditions, are now being produced in the UAE in a sustainable way because to the adoption of new technologies.

Almheiri informed attendees at the Expo 2020 Dubai meeting, "We are keen to share our experience with our partners and cooperate with other countries to address major concerns of our food systems." "We consider ourselves an open laboratory in which to explore possibilities, make discoveries, and propose answers."

Almheiri argued that, while it is encouraging to hear about such promises and discover the applications of new technology, food security and climate concerns cannot be solved without explicit global targets.

The United Arab Emirates is planting a sustainable crop for its future food supply

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the surrounding Gulf region face significant natural and environmental issues that necessitate a commitment to innovation and new ways of thinking. The growth of AgTech is swiftly encouraging more efforts to turn hitherto regarded ‘fruitless’ natural phenomena - arid land, saline soil and wastewater – into the assets that might build a path to enhanced sustainability and wealth for the UAE. Additionally, the UAE is setting a tremendously helpful example for other countries to follow by being at the forefront of sustainable investment.

Innovation is the new key for the success

In many ways, our civilization cannot function without a pervasive culture of invention. It stimulates technological advancement, the economy, and employment. More importantly, it allows business owners to address global challenges like food insecurity. There has never been a greater need for creativity in the food supply chain than there is now, what with the world's population expanding at an unprecedented rate and the climate altering in ways we have never seen.

By 2050, there will be over 10 billion people to feed, but the amount of farmable land and fresh water on the planet is both decreasing. The likelihood of there being insufficient resources to feed everyone in the future is increasing. Globally, there is a problem with food insecurity, but in nations that import a large percentage of their food, the problem is far more acute. The COVID-19 international crisis has shown that disruptions to supply chains can occur anywhere, at any time, heightening the importance of ensuring a reliable food supply.

Countries in the Middle East import huge quantities of fresh produce since they cannot grow it locally. To give just one example, the United Arab Emirates must import as much as ninety percent of its citizens' daily caloric intake. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has designated a Minister of State for Food Security to oversee the implementation of the nation's National Food Security Strategy in light of the growing awareness of the need for a more secure food supply.

Cooperating With Countries

The international community is working together to find answers to the world's current crises. The I2U2 summit is an innovative collaboration involving the governments of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States (I2U2 refers to the first letters of the four countries). Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid and his American and India counterparts, Joe Biden and Narendra Modi spoke on a four-way conversation from Jerusalem to discuss the idea. Clean energy and food security were two of the main goals of the group's endeavour.

Private companies in the United States and Israel will be asked to give their knowledge and offer creative solutions to help ensure the long-term viability of the initiative. The organisation stated in a statement that the investments will increase crop yields and hence aid in the fight against food insecurity in South Asia and the Middle East.

During the conference call, the organization's officials announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would spend $2 billion to build a chain of integrated food parks across India. These food hubs will be the best in the world, with cutting-edge infrastructure designed to minimise resources wasted via spoilage and overuse.

The India–Middle East Food Corridor was also extensively covered. The seeds for this were planted long before the I2U2 summit; the summit's purpose was to consolidate those efforts. The strategic requirement to raise the value of India's food production and the strategic need of the Arab Gulf governments to secure their food security make this strategic relationship mutually advantageous.

The United Arab Emirates acts as a catalyzer for investment and progress in the countries with which it maintains diplomatic and trade ties. The question is, what is the country doing to fix its problems on the inside?

Biosecurity Institutional Initiatives

Diseases that spread easily between animals on farms can harm not just the animals but also the crop and the quality and safety of the food that is produced from it. Biosecurity refers to the steps taken to protect crops from disease and is crucial in the event of an epidemic.

The Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has just made a decision on biosecurity measures that must be taken on farms and animal holdings in Abu Dhabi.

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ADAFSA, stated that "the comprehensive plan for agricultural sustainability supports the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and is in line with global trends to promote climate-smart agriculture and food production."

In a speech, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan explained how new regulations will encourage the use of local farms and ensure the long-term viability of agricultural production in the United Arab Emirates. To ensure food safety and community well-being, he stressed the significance of using excellent farming techniques and taking safeguards to back up the biosecurity system.

ADAFSA has released their strategy plan for 2022–2025 in an effort to boost biosecurity and meet rising agricultural demands.

The new plan's objective is to stimulate the emirate's agricultural and food production sectors so that they produce a larger share of the economy. Nonetheless, the primary objective is to put into action the vision of Abu Dhabi's President, which is in line with the government's goal of creating a diversified economy based on knowledge and empowerment of sustainable agriculture development.

Additionally, in the month of December, Abu Dhabi will host the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE). There will be major agreements and collaborations signed between public and private sector organisations, as well as participation from local and international food and beverage enterprises.

Incentivizing Home-Grown Food Storage

The United Arab Emirates is implementing regenerative and modern farming technology, empowering local farmers, and digitising the supply chain in order to boost domestic food production.

However, altering people's consumption habits will be important in the long run. As the CEO of UAE-based Graze it, Alexandre Skander Allegue says, "We'd rather focus on a disruptive change at the top of the value chain that has the highest potential of considerably diminishing carbon emissions." This is because the company grows imported livestock feed locally, thereby eliminating the need for costly transportation.

To help diversify the emirate's knowledge-based economy, Dubai is constructing a central hub for the next generation of clean technology food and farm products. The UAE government funds cutting-edge research at the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), which is improving local food production through innovative agritech solutions.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is serving as a proving ground for cutting-edge agritech solutions to some of the world's toughest food and ecological problems. Fresh fruits and vegetables cultivated in the area are expanding in supply thanks to efforts by market leader Elite Agro. By doing so, we may lessen our impact on the environment while increasing our ability to feed ourselves.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is working to design and improve sustainable food production systems in response to the increasing food security challenge.

Not only will food security be achieved, but the country will also become a centre for agricultural research and development on a global scale.