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Sheikh Mohammed reviews measures to improve productivity, sustainability
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President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited Dubai’s International Center for Biosalinization Agriculture (ICBA), which specializes in research aimed at improving agricultural Agricultural research for productivity and sustainability in saline and marginal environments.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was received upon arrival by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency (EAD) and President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Razan Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ICBA; Dr. Tarifa Al Zaabi, Deputy Director General of ICBA and some officials of the Centre.
At the start of his visit, the UAE President planted a Ghaf tree, known for its ability to withstand harsh climatic and environmental conditions, which holds special symbolic significance in the UAE’s history and identity.
Sheikh Mohammed’s tour included the outdoor area, which included and experimented on a variety of trees specially planted, especially salt-tolerant plants. The tour also includes the Desert Life Science Laboratory, the Gene Bank and the Emirates Soil Museum.
The President heard explanations from ICBA officials about their most significant achievements, national, regional and international partnerships and areas of work, and their future research plans. Officials detailed the plans, which include research into sustainable management of natural resources, irrigation efficiency, remote sensing, climate-resilient crops and genomic studies of healthier crops, among others.
The UAE President praised the efforts of the Center’s staff and ICBA’s important role in one of the most important areas related to the development of the UAE and the world – agriculture and water resources.
His Highness emphasized that the ICBA embodies the UAE’s leading role in achieving sustainable development at the regional and global levels by investing in knowledge, innovation and scientific research to find solutions to the challenges facing biosaline agriculture and soil issues. It is also innovating modern methods to optimize agricultural water use and developing agricultural varieties that can adapt to harsh environmental and climatic conditions.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed said the UAE prioritizes food security in its development plans. As such, it is interested in agriculture and the use of the latest scientific and technological methods to advance agriculture and increase productivity. He said that ICBA’s work confirmed the UAE’s belief that science is the main way to solve the challenges facing humanity in various fields, especially agriculture and water resources.
At the conclusion of the tour, His Highness wished the center’s staff and management the best and urged them to continue to complement the national agriculture, food security and water programs with more significant ideas and innovations.
For her part, Mariam Almheiri said that Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to ICBA “reflects the level of care, attention and support that our wise leadership has given to the research, development and innovation system, and the level that the system represents. It Serve as a strategic pillar in realizing our nation’s goal of creating a better future for present and future generations.”
She noted that the Department of Climate Change and Environment, in collaboration with ICBA and other strategic partners in the public and private sectors, is keen to strengthen research, development and innovation capabilities to spur the pace of climate action and explore new solutions that can help strengthen food Safety.
Almheiri commended ICBA’s efforts to support and enhance ongoing and effective research and development.
Razan Al Mubarak said, “In the context of climate change, investment in research is needed more than ever to develop innovative, low-capital and replicable food production systems and factories that do not rely on intensive energy use , and adapt to degraded soils. Under the President’s direction, ICBA will continue to develop agricultural technologies that contribute to food security.”
For her part, Dr Tarifa Al Zaabi said: “It is a great honor for us to welcome His Highness to ICBA. We are very grateful to the UAE Government for the tremendous support that has been given to our Center over two decades. Excellent opportunity to showcase the best biosalinization agricultural practices to more than 30,000 farmers. The visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan underscored the UAE Government’s special focus on scientific research and agriculture field development.”
The staff of ICBA expressed their joy at the visit of the President of the United Arab Emirates, and said that it injected new impetus into their future work.
ICBA was established in 1999 under the visionary leadership of the UAE Government, Abu Dhabi Environment Authority and the Islamic Development Bank. Its R&D activities and programs are supported by its founders, the UAE Government and the Islamic Development Bank.
Over the years, ICBA has established itself as a global center of excellence and a preferred research and development partner in different regions. Its focus on developing tailored solutions for edge environments and having partners in more than 50 countries enables it to leverage its broad and diverse expertise base to have greater impact locally.
The Center conducts research for development activities and programs in some 40 countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, South Caucasus and sub-Saharan Africa.
The Center has also developed and introduced 24 technologies and crops in some 30 countries. They range from improved genotypes in quinoa and salicornia to drought monitoring solutions. Under its Plant Genetic Resources Programme, ICBA has distributed nearly 9,000 seed samples to scientists, farmers and other stakeholders in 57 countries.
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