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UAE tops MENA food safety index

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UAE – The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has revealed that the UAE ranks first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the 2022 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) published by The Economist Impact.

The new ranking compares to the third place in the region in 2021. Globally, the UAE reached 23rd place, up 12 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the index, the UAE ranks first among all MENA countries in the overall food security index and food availability indicator, and second in food quality and safety.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “Enhancing food security is a strategic priority for the UAE. To achieve this, we have adopted an integrated approach, including implementing a national strategy and establishing an enabling legislative and regulatory framework.”

The comprehensive 2051 National Food Security Strategy aims to develop sustainable food systems by using modern technologies, supporting local production, building international partnerships to diversify food sources, and developing laws and policies that improve nutrition and reduce food waste to ensure food security in any situation. She said the strategy aims to improve the UAE’s ranking in global food security indicators and transform the country into an innovation-based food security hub.

The minister added that efforts to enhance food security include projects, programmes and initiatives that enhance local productive capacity, stimulate investment and entrepreneurship in the food sector, and promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural methods.

She underlined that the UAE is working towards its goal of topping the GFSI by 2051.

The Minister noted that ensuring the continuity and flexibility of the food supply as well as the supply chain is one of the main pillars of the strategy. She explained that this involves strengthening cooperation with the rest of the world, diversifying sources of food imports, increasing foreign investment in agriculture, and monitoring import markets to verify compliance with the highest international food safety standards.

Globally, the UAE ranks seventh in food supply and 16th in food safety and quality.

The country scored 75.2 out of the 100-point index, compared to 71 in 2021, an increase of 4.2 points.

In August 2021, MOCCAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Development Bank (EDB) to collaborate on identifying innovative financing solutions to support entrepreneurship in the agri-food industry based on modern technologies and sustainable systems.

The food trade is one of the most important and dynamic sectors in the country, witnessing a rapid recovery in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. At present, the import volume of ration exceeds 41,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 21%.

The annual GFSI records and measures year-on-year changes in structural factors affecting food security. The index takes into account a number of indicators, including food cost, availability, quality and safety, as well as natural resources and resilience, in 113 countries. It is based on 58 indicators that measure the drivers of food security in developing and developed countries, according to a statement.

Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Courtesy of SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndicate information).

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