UAE continues to strengthen its food security: Ministry of Climate Change

ABU DHABI – The UAE is continuing to strengthen its food security system through a comprehensive set of policies, including promoting cooperation with other countries and markets, diversifying sources and attracting local and foreign agricultural investment.

The country’s food import rate increased by 21 percent in the first half of 2022, importing more than 41,000 tonnes of food per day, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment said.

Essa Al Hashmi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Sustainable Communities and Acting Assistant Under-Secretary for Green Development and Climate Change, said food trade is a leading national sector, noting that it has seen a remarkable recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Hashmi stressed that ensuring food adequacy and the continuity and sustainability of supply chains is a key objective of the ministry and part of its strategy to ensure food security in the country.

He added that the ministry is also keen to cooperate and coordinate with federal and local authorities to provide food widely, confirming that based on data from border crossings, the previous months have witnessed a large number of food shipments entering the country, including both merchandise and local markets. products sold, as well as other products that are re-exported, as the UAE is one of the world’s leading re-export centres.

Al Hashmi explained the country’s efforts to provide food and ensure supply chain sustainability, including various imports from all countries, especially India, Brazil, Canada, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Pakistan.

He then highlighted the UAE’s efforts to ensure food supply and supply chain continuity, which involves expanding foreign agricultural investment operations in other countries, focusing on strategic food crops such as wheat, rice, vegetables and fruits, and livestock, stressing The Ministry has adopted the highest food safety system to ensure compliance with its requirements and specifications.