UAE Is A Key Player In The Global Food Security Ecosystem: Mariam Almheiri

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 15th Oct, 2019) Mariam Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, asserted that World Food Day is an ideal occasion to raise people’s awareness about the value of food, highlight the real challenges facing food security in different countries, and strengthen international cooperation to eradicate hunger around the world and achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals for a prosperous future for humankind.

"The challenges facing food security are growing, and with it, global responsibility is increasing," she added. "The UAE is a key player in the global food security ecosystem; it provides the infrastructure and logistics to connect producers and farmers to consumers around the world. Our national strategy aims to find innovative and sustainable solutions for food production and management. The world’s population is on track to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 – a challenge that will only be exacerbated by climate change, decreasing agricultural land, water scarcity, desertification, and other obstacles hindering the world’s ability to provide safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. This makes it imperative that we innovate and disrupt our food systems by changing the way we produce food and the way we consume food."

"The UAE is a major contributor to global food security and has made significant strides in the sector," Almheiri explained. "It is one of the world’s largest donors of official development assistance, which includes material and technical assistance and the establishment of sustainable food production projects in many countries.

The UAE has strong relations with many international organisations concerned with the food sector, chief among them is the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations,FAO, the Committee on World Food Security, and the World Food Programme."

The Minister of State went on to note that all the UAE Government’s efforts follow the vision of the wise leadership to ensure national food security. This, in turn, is reflected in the objectives of the National Strategy for Food Security, which revolves around several pillars, from establishing sustainable agriculture and food projects using modern technology, to reducing food waste in the community. These activities are ultimately linked to international efforts to achieve global food security.

Almheiri expressed confidence in the UAE’s ability to multiply its efforts and register more accomplishments in the food security sector nationally, regionally, and globally, and play a significant role in eradicating hunger, achieving Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, and guaranteeing the growth and prosperity of peoples around the world.

World Food Day is a day of action dedicated to tackling global hunger. Held annually on 16th October, people from around the world come together to declare their commitment to eradicate worldwide hunger from our lifetime.