In his report on "Protecting Food Security in the Face of Covid-19 and Beyond", the "Observatory of the Future" stressed that the current crisis showed the extent of food security's dependence on a complex and very interconnected and unprotected supply chain to face disasters. Import-dependent economies and industries that rely on single source markets will be more at risk than others!

It is very clear that we and many other countries of the world do not get out of the framework of this dependence on foreign markets, so we are now in urgent and necessary necessity, and not optional, to reconsider our agricultural strategies and policies. The epidemic will compel us to draw lessons and develop a serious strategy Theorizing and implementation, to secure food independence, or reduce the dependence as much as possible on importing by a large percentage during the foreseeable future.

The Emirates possesses all ingredients to provide the best consumer goods throughout the year, due to the presence of experienced and efficient national cadres, which is clear and tangible, and we all felt it in this difficult crisis, but at the same time, it possesses large areas of unexploited agricultural land, for example Example in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi alone there are 24 thousand farms, the number of which is less than 1000, and there is no doubt that the number will increase significantly, with the addition of the rest of the Emirates!

This indicates that there is no real problem in agricultural lands, especially with the development of techniques, forms and agricultural methods in a stunning way, but the problem lies in the lack of a specific and clear agricultural plan, for each season, to produce seasonal vegetables and fruits, and there are no real plans and procedures, to qualify and support camel owners And livestock and poultry, enable them to increase the rates of production of milk, meat and poultry, all that is present individual attempts, or personal companies, operating in individual ways not systematic, and are not subject to clear plans and strategies!

In terms of water resources and strategic storage, which is the most important factor for the success of agriculture, we all know that the state includes more than 100 dams, but not all of them are properly exploited, and unfortunately some parties have tended to establish tourism projects near the dams, and this is contrary to environmental systems, and the most beneficial and best exploitation To create agricultural projects that help increase production by utilizing dam water, the best example is in the Al-Shuwaib area between the city of Al Ain and the Emirate of Dubai, where model farms have been allocated near the dam, to ensure the sustainability of these projects, and obtain enough water, thanks to water collection Rain.

We have many capabilities, which qualify us to develop an integrated plan to focus on the agricultural sector, the food sector and the production of meat and dairy, and we have a market to accommodate that, and there is a basis on which to build, and a large part of the "forests" that number more than 100 forests can be used to produce honey, in All seasons, the most important of which are Sidr, Ghaf and Al-Samar, and there are distinguished and successful Emirati experiences and won international awards in the field of producing high-quality natural honey.

Also, these forests are suitable as natural pastures for livestock, which contributes to meat production. Grazing in forests helps pruning and providing organic matter to trees through livestock waste, and this was proven through the experience of raising a herd of deer. The result was positive in raising the level of land fertility. , And save in employment to trim and care for trees!

We have the basis, we have the capabilities, we have the competencies, but we need more good planning and government intervention to support the agricultural sector, provided that this support is subject to the government's plans to distribute the crops to be produced, so that all farms operate according to the integration approach, not competition, so competition in agriculture leads To one way, everyone is lost and the crop is lost!

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