Shorouk Awad (Dubai)
The agreement of the governments of the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of India was to expand cooperation in the field of food security by promoting bilateral trade in food and agriculture, responsible foreign investments in agriculture and food systems, enhancing the flexibility and reliability of food supply chains, and contributing to the strengthening and strengthening of infrastructure and dedicated logistical services that link farms to ports and final destinations. In the UAE, and the implementation of pioneering projects in this field, a distinguished model for bilateral relations based on mutual respect and trust, and a golden opportunity to address global food challenges and their repercussions that may appear in the future, such as poverty and hunger, according to experts in development, agricultural health, outlets, retail and consumer affairs.
Sultan Alwan, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said, “The agreement with the Indian Republic comes in line with the UAE’s continuous efforts to ensure the strengthening of the agricultural sector and find innovative solutions that ensure enhancing our food security by employing technology, adopting modern climate-smart agricultural systems, and developing production capabilities. and ensuring the continuity of supply chains,” he said, pointing to the ministry’s keenness to build bridges of cooperation and partnership with the relevant authorities and bodies in India, as part of its efforts to contribute to achieving the country’s goals in many sectors and fields, foremost of which is food security and climate action.
Alwan indicated that the agreement may include in the future aspects of cooperation in combating agricultural pests and plant protection, strengthening organic farming systems, employing the latest technologies to increase agricultural production capacities, ensuring the highest levels of food safety, ensuring continuity of supply chains, enhancing trade exchange for agricultural products and livestock, and promoting The agricultural research system and the use of modern technology to contribute to food security, encouraging joint projects in the field of agriculture between the private sector in both countries, developing projects for organized and agricultural-based industrial zones, and many more.
sustainable food
In turn, Mohammed Al-Dhanhani, Director of the Agricultural Development and Health Department at the Ministry, said, “The agreement of the UAE and India to expand cooperation by promoting bilateral trade in food and agriculture and responsible foreign investments in agriculture and food systems is an appreciation of the historical strategic partnership between the two countries in the field of food security and the need to Enhancing the flexibility and reliability of food supply chains, as it appeared during the emerging Corona Virus (Covid-19) pandemic,” noting that the agreement on food security comes within the framework of the strategic direction of the UAE to enhance international cooperation and coordination and exchange experiences and successful experiences to enhance capabilities to confront all challenges and ensure Creating a sustainable food future.
Al-Dhanhani added, “The bilateral agreement that brought together the UAE and India on food security, the day before yesterday, emphasizes cooperation in this important field, continuity of communication and focus during the next stage on giving priority to food security, developing strategic partnership relations, intensifying mutual visits and consultations between officials, and strengthening Communicating and coordinating on the exchange of bilateral experiences related to food and agriculture, continuing to encourage mutual investment in adopting modern agricultural systems, and working together to advance its priority cooperation projects.
constructive cooperation
For his part, Hassan Shaath, General Manager of Madinat Mall in Dubai, said: “The report launched by the Indian Business Council in cooperation with the Dubai Chambers of Commerce confirms the size of the strong trade and investment relations between the two countries, as the balance of foreign direct investments between the UAE and India during the period reached Between (2003 – 2021) about 209 billion dirhams, and the UAE-India agreement in the field of food security is an important step on the path of positive and constructive cooperation to achieve progress and enhance food security in the region, given that the two sides are among the most vital economies in the region, and bilateral cooperation will have an impact directly in advancing progress, growth and prosperity, as well as creating beneficial opportunities for the two countries, the region and the world, by transferring the experiences of the two sides in food security, exchanging technology employment between them, benefiting from bilateral experiences based on adopting modern technologies and employing them in the agricultural sector, and expanding cooperation by promoting trade Bilateral Food and Agriculture and responsible foreign investment in agriculture and food systems.
Shaath stressed the keenness of the UAE and India to provide safe food for their people, while the meeting of the two poles will contribute to the implementation of several projects that will achieve the desired goals of food security, as work will be done to expand trade and investment exchange and explore more opportunities for cooperation between the two parties in the matter of food security and work together. To enter new markets in Asia, Africa and the region, with the aim of finding new sources of food diversity in the two countries and countries in the region, referring to food security as an economic paper par excellence, given that the expected repercussions of the UAE and India agreement on direct investment flows between them in food, will contribute to creating new opportunities in this sector. .
And he indicated that the insistence of the UAE to move forward with the food security file was based on an inevitable fact that the state enjoys food-related capabilities, and the best evidence of this is the ambitious projects of the people of the Emirates who apply the latest agricultural systems and technology and techniques to provide the finest agricultural products, which contribute to achieving Sustainable food security for the local community.
Self-sufficiency
Ibrahim Al-Bahr, an expert in retail trade and consumer affairs, said, “The move to focus the UAE and India on food security came as an inevitable result of their possession of expertise in this important field and an active vision aimed at advancing development efforts in this regard, as food security is one of the priority files in the government. The Emirates, which has a comprehensive vision and greater ability to deal with challenges and turn them into positives in order to support the food system and ensure the sustainability of its security, to meet development requirements in all fields during the coming period, as it is keen to quickly reach food self-sufficiency and support the food system, to meet the development requirements in All fields by employing food technology in order to create a new economic tributary for the state, relying on many modern technologies such as genomics sciences and the outputs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, working to reduce food loss and waste, and applying modern technologies to treat organic waste and transform it into vital food alternatives and feed, in a way that supports the state’s orientations towards promoting a circular economy and sustainable development.”
Al-Bahr stressed that the UAE-India agreement on food security confirms the role of food as an engine of economic growth and sustainable development, creating new job opportunities, and is in line with the road map of the “Fifty Principles” launched by the UAE in preparation for the next fifty years to contribute to shaping the features of a new era of economic and social growth In the past decades, the UAE has taken a strategic decision to invest heavily and in partnership with other countries in the food sector, especially agricultural and animal products, and many others.
He explained the reason behind the signing of several agreements between the UAE and India, spread over many areas, such as food security, given that India is one of the most important allies and partners of the UAE in trade and investment, and the two countries have deep-rooted historical relations. It is a major economic partner, and for the UAE, it is a major trading partner, as it ranks second among the list of the country’s largest trading partners and first in the non-oil trade exchange.