Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The first edition of Global Food Week (GFW), held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, will take place on November 26-28.
Organised by the ADNEC Group in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the UAE Food & Beverage Manufacturers Group as a knowledge partner, and the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation (KIDPAI), the event will host the inaugural Global Food Security Summit, the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition, and the Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition.
These events aim to foster innovation, collaboration and sustainable solutions for food production and global food security challenges.
Over 600 officials and 80 global speakers will come together to address pressing issues in food security, agricultural productivity, as well as climate change.
The event will also highlight cutting-edge advancements in food and agriculture, with a focus on technology's role in enhancing food security.
GFW comes in the wake of a major announcement at the G20 summit in Brazil on Monday, where His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, that the UAE would be allocating $100 million to the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty through the UAE Aid Agency.
At a press conference ahead of GFW, Saeed Al Mansoori, Advisor for Military and Defence Exhibitions at Capital Events, a subsidiary of ADNEC Group, announced national initiatives to advance the agricultural sector and food security.
This was in line with ADNEC Group's strategy to position Abu Dhabi as a tourism capital and a platform for creativity and innovation.
In a virtual presentation, Dr. Abdul Wahab Zayed, Secretary-General of KIDPAI, said that the Abu Dhabi International Date Palm Exhibition highlighted the importance of dates to the national economy and food security.
Attracting over 100 exhibitors, producers and manufacturers, it confirmed Abu Dhabi's position as the dates capital and provides support to major farmers, producers and importers.
It also facilitates communication between producers and suppliers worldwide.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the press conference, Badr Al Shehhi, Director of the Communication and Community Engagement Division at ADAFSA, said: "This year we will be having the Global Food Security Summit, in this first edition, we are accommodating more than 20 ministers from around the world in the field of food security and agriculture to discuss the challenges related to food security globally. There will be solutions, innovations and best practices shared during this summit."
He said that Abu Dhabi prioritised its own food security and that of the whole world as well, as well as agricultural challenges.
He added: "We are talking with 80 experts representing international organisations. For the first time, we are also seeing significant participation from the Islamic Organisation for Food Security. The FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) will also have their first exhibition at the event, showcasing projects from the UAE and around the world."
On the role of technology, he said, "Technology plays a vital role in the food security supply chain. We will have special sections presenting technological innovations, including competitions for UAE university students.
"Over 100 start-ups will also showcase their brilliant ideas in the food and agriculture sector. The summit will also share best practices from global officials and tell real stories of success."
Commenting on the theme for GFW, "Together, for Humanity", he explained that the summit's goals align with the UN's goal of ending hunger.
Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food & Beverage Manufacturers Group, the knowledge partner of the summit told Aletihad that the summit will be the largest food security event globally.
Discussing the agenda for the GFW, he said: "The objective is twofold: how can we make Abu Dhabi and the UAE the centre of the food sector, and how can we create a movement to solve the food security problem."
"Along with private sector companies fostering partnerships to address the food security challenge, we will be focusing on the national, regional and global criteria."
Lootah added: "This summit is the seed for our big ambitions. We aim to make the UAE a hub for global talent in food innovation, creating a platform for attracting partnerships and joint ventures."
