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Abdul Hakim Al-Waer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa region, stressed that the United Arab Emirates stands out as a leading strategic partner in supporting food security and developing sustainable agricultural innovations in light of the increasing challenges facing food security worldwide. Regional and global levels.
Al Waer said, in an interview with the Emirates News Agency, WAM, on the sidelines of his visit to the country, that the UAE is emerging as a strategic partner through its smart investments in climate-adapted agriculture, vertical farms, and innovative initiatives such as the “Agricultural Climate Innovation Initiative,” where it provides… The country is a proactive model for addressing the repercussions of climate change on agriculture and food security.
He added that the UAE’s partnership with FAO is an example of international cooperation aimed at achieving sustainable development goals, especially eliminating hunger, pointing out that this partnership confirmed that strategic investment in agriculture and the application of solutions based on innovation and technology can have an impact. Wide beyond the borders of the region.
He pointed out that this successful cooperation with the UAE can be expanded to include other regions, as the lessons learned from this experience can contribute to enhancing global food security and ensuring a more sustainable future for future generations, especially since the Near East and North Africa region faces great challenges in the agricultural sector, With increasing rates of hunger and malnutrition.
He explained that global economic crises, such as inflation and high food prices, greatly affect FAO’s efforts to combat hunger and achieve food security, pointing out that according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition “SOFI” report for 2024, about 733 million people faced hunger in the world. In 2023, that is equivalent to one person out of every 11 people in the world, and the ratio in Africa reaches one person out of every five people.
Al Waer stressed that the UAE plays a decisive role in supporting the efforts of the FAO by contributing to financing food security projects and providing technical assistance, noting that these contributions become more important with the increasing need for financing amounting to several trillion dollars to bridge the gap and achieve development goals. Sustainable growth, especially in the most affected regions such as Africa, where it is expected that if current trends continue, about 582 million people will suffer from chronic undernutrition by 2030, half of them in Africa.
He stated that FAO is focusing on strengthening policies related to climate and water resource management to achieve sustainability with the escalation of the water crisis in the Near East and North Africa region, where analyzes indicate that 25% of economic losses and damages in agriculture in developing countries result from climate risks, such as drought and floods. .
He pointed out that the UAE plays a vital role in confronting these challenges through its pioneering initiatives, such as the “Agricultural Climate Innovation Initiative,” which it launched in partnership with the United States, which aims to promote climate-smart agriculture and mobilize investments to support sustainable solutions that contribute to preserving water resources, while The UAE is focusing on modern technologies such as vertical farming, which helps improve agricultural productivity while reducing water consumption.
He stressed that FAO enhances the role of women and youth in the agricultural sector, as addressing gender inequalities in agricultural and food systems can boost the global economy by one trillion dollars and reduce food insecurity by 45 million people. FAO seeks to improve women and youth’s access to Resources and economic opportunities through training programs, skills development and financing for small agricultural projects.
He pointed out that the UAE can support these efforts by investing in small projects, promoting initiatives that contribute to financing and training women and youth in agriculture, and committing to partnerships with the FAO and other international organizations that focus on supporting these groups in the agricultural sector.
The Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said that the UAE plays a prominent role in supporting international initiatives to combat hunger and enhance food security, through strategic partnerships with the FAO. Notable projects include the project to enhance food security in northeastern Nigeria, It supports Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s global initiatives towards improving food security for more than 58,000 people, while in Liberia, the UAE contributes to the project “Enhancing Resilience and Increasing Sustainable Income, Food Security, and Nutrition for Rural Women” in cooperation with FAO, which targets 2,000 farmers across the country. 24 agricultural groups in six provinces, through the introduction of mobile farm units that provide cold storage and solar energy for irrigation.
He pointed out that FAO is working to enhance awareness of the importance of food security through many programs that aim to improve societies’ understanding of food challenges and agricultural sustainability, pointing out the possibility of involving young people in agricultural innovation and sustainability efforts led by the UAE by adopting programs such as developing vertical farms. and climate-smart agriculture, which aims to increase agricultural productivity and adapt to climate change.
Al-Waer explained that these initiatives depend on the use of modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and data analysis, which provides educational and training opportunities for young people to be an active part in developing these fields, by enhancing their participation in these programs to enable the stimulation of a new generation of agricultural innovators capable of facing security challenges. Food and climate change.
