Mohammed launches Food Technology Challenge

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, today launched the presence of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai. The largest food technology challenge in the world, aimed at developing innovative solutions for food production and management in the UAE, and employing advanced technology to find tools and techniques that are efficient and effective to overcome the challenges of the agricultural sector, to achieve sustainable food production in the UAE to be a leading global center for security Food.

The Global Food Technology Challenge is in line with the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy, which aims to develop a comprehensive national system, based on enabling sustainable food production, and identifies the elements of the national food basket, in line with the needs of the UAE within a holistic vision that takes into account population growth and prospects. Economic, social and technological development, in addition to the global environmental and climatic challenges that require directing the UAE's efforts in this aspect, in line with the global efforts to secure the future of mankind.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “The challenge of food technology will open the horizon for regional and global cooperation to create a unified vision towards global food security. We look forward to the UAE being at the heart of this vision, and achieving food security is a key pillar for continued development.”

He added: “We must invest the scientific expertise and expertise to find innovative and exceptional solutions for the development of a sustainable agricultural system, and welcome all the global expertise and creative minds in the UAE and the world to be part of the challenge of food technology.”

His Highness stressed that the culture of impossibility adopted by the UAE makes it eligible to play a role in achieving food security in the country and the region, pointing out that experts said that our land can not grow a plant, and we proved that they are wrong, it is 4000 farms in 1971 we have more than 40 thousand today Farm".

“We want these innovative ideas to be the nucleus of quality projects in the agricultural sector that fulfill our ambitious vision of food security and drive our national economy into the future,” said HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“Efforts must be united, partnerships must be strengthened, and mechanisms of cooperation between the public and private sectors and between various regional and international institutions and organizations should be established to build a unified global vision for global food security,” concluded His Highness.

His Highness was accompanied during the launch of the Food Technology Challenge by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Future Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, and Minister of State for Food Security Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi. The Chairman of Tamkeen's Board of Directors, Rima Al Mokarab, a number of general managers and senior officials.

The launch of the challenge, organized by the Food Security Office in partnership with Tamkeen, the leading national knowledge-based enterprise, was also attended by representatives of the country's academic and agricultural sectors.

The Challenge of Food Technology aims to attract and encourage companies, individuals and scientific and research institutions in the UAE and around the world to employ advanced technology in developing innovative ideas and effective tools for food production in the UAE, and to find creative solutions to various local challenges facing the agricultural sector and sustainable food production in the UAE. The prize money, worth $ 1 million, will be distributed to four winners.

The seven-month challenge seeks to find solutions to the challenges of agriculture and food production across food value chains and promote community participation in the UAE's food and nutrition system by attracting the best minds and scientific expertise from around the world to work together to bridge the gap. The current food gap, with the country importing about 90% of its food from abroad, faces many challenges to sustainable agricultural and food production.

The challenge also focuses on engaging the various sectors of the community in the development of agricultural activities and food production at the individual level, raising awareness of the importance of food and ways of adopting proper nutrition methods, and reducing food waste, ensuring that future needs are met and ensuring the sustainability of basic resources. The UAE Government launched the National Strategy for Food Security in November 2018, as part of the second annual meeting of the UAE Government - 2018.

The strategy aims to develop a comprehensive national system based on enabling sustainable food production. It identifies the elements of the national food basket, which includes 18 main species, based on three main criteria: knowledge of the volume of domestic consumption of the most important products, production and processing capacity, and nutritional needs. .

The strategy includes 38 major short- and long-term initiatives, within the 2051 Vision, and a 2021 Agenda, and operates through five strategic directions.

Goals

The seven-month Food Technology Challenge seeks to:

Find solutions to the challenges of agriculture and food production across food value chains.

- Enhancing the participation of community members in the food and nutrition system in the UAE.

- Attract the best minds and experiences from around the world to work together to bridge the current food gap.

- Involving the various sectors of the community in the development of agricultural activities and food production at the individual level.

- Raise awareness of the importance of food and ways to adopt proper nutrition methods and reduce food waste.

Investment opportunities

The projects involved in the Food Technology Challenge will be evaluated by a panel of international experts in the field of technology, economics and environmental sustainability. The committee will evaluate the proposals submitted, select the best in terms of efficiency, innovation, wide applicability and future prospects of the project. The winners were announced in April 2020. Work will be done on identifying and designing mechanisms to implement projects on the ground.