Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority announced the launch of the first edition of the “Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week 2021″, from 21 to 25 November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week will feature numerous events related to sustainable agriculture, food production and food security issues, including the launch of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Conference, in partnership with the World Food Security Forum, and a Global Sustainable Agriculture Awards Ceremony. It will honour the innovators and creative solutions that drive innovation in the sectors of agriculture and food security, and it will push them towards growth and prosperity through a combination of related seminars, lectures and workshops.
The week will also host – for the first time – a Symposium of the International Federation of Beekeepers “Apimondia”, founded in 1897 in Rome. The Symposium will complement “Api-Arab Expo”, which aims to develop the honeybee-breeding sector and enhance the productivity of honeybees in the region.
His Excellency Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority said: “The launch of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week represents the critical importance of food production, sustainable agriculture and food security and is consistent with the insightful vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. His Highness is keen to direct the provision of all necessary capabilities to secure food in a high-quality manner that guarantees the highest safety standards. The week’s activities are in line with the strategy established by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority. The strategy aims to ensure food safety and an ecological sustainable development in the agricultural sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.”
His Excellency added that the global crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has magnified the importance of cooperation and joint work between countries, organizations and specialized companies to maximize the production of what can be grown locally based on modern technology and efficient natural resource management, in addition to encouraging agricultural investment, strengthening the system, supplying food, making it sustainable and easily accessible at all times.
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week 2021 is the largest event for sustainable agriculture and food security in the MENA and Asia Pacific region. In addition to the variety of specialized events, such as conferences, exhibitions, and workshops, the program also includes two major exhibitions with a successful track record in Abu Dhabi: Global Forum for Agricultural Innovations (GFIA), which has attracted more than 50,000 participants, since its launch in 2014, during which more than 1,500 innovations in sustainable agriculture were exhibited, and VIV MEA, an exhibition which covers animal health and production, which focuses on developing livestock and producing dairy, fish, poultry and eggs.
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week also attaches great importance to the logistics of the agribusiness sector, as it hosts Cold Chain Expo, an exhibition and conference that sheds light on how goods are taken to market and distributed globally with the least amount of waste and losses.
The events address important topics such as vertical farming, hydroponics, indoor agriculture, aquaculture, and agriculture in controlled environments, as the pioneers of these fields in the world showcase the latest innovations and solutions needed for sustainable food production. Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week 2021 will host various emerging companies, innovators, and individuals who are looking to establish new business partnerships and take advantage of the financing opportunities provided through the Ag-Tech fund. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office, to encourage food technology companies to establish and localize their operations in Abu Dhabi, launched the fund, which amounts to one billion dirhams.
More than 400 exhibitors and sponsoring companies will participate in the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week, while the joint programs present more than 150 international speakers, bringing with them a major global alliance of strategic partnerships that will drive the success of the initiative.
The week is supported by the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the UAE Ministry of Food and Water Security, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and other global entities, including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the University of Arizona, the University of California at Davis, the Open Global Data Initiative for Agriculture and Nutrition, Agritecture Consulting, Global GAP, The Netherlands University of Wageningen, and the Netherlands Investment Program.
The Global Forum for Food Security was previously held with the support and patronage of Her Excellency Maryam Bint Mohammed Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food and Water Security, the representative of the country in the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and at the time, discussed the issues relating to local, regional and international food security together with prominent experts in this field.
Mohanad Terkawi, VP Exhibitions commented, “As a long-term partner of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, GFIA is proud to be part of this visionary programme that will place Abu Dhabi and the UAE at the heart of the global Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Agenda. Now, more than ever, is a critical time for these sectors, and we look forward to providing a Live Event format as well as a Digital Platform that will ensure we offer a truly global exchange of knowledge at this critical stage in global development.”
