The Emirates Food Security Council formed its main committees and discussed the latest trends in the food security file in the Emirates during the next stage, ways of managing the state's strategic stockpile and the progress of work in the recommendations of the council during the previous two meetings and reviewed the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Food Security Team and the Dubai Food Security Committee and their role in strengthening the food system and participation Their experiences and vision during the next stage.
This came during the third virtual meeting of the Council, which was held under the chairmanship of Maryam Bint Muhammad Saeed Harib Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food and Water Security and in the presence of Council members from representatives of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Health and Community Protection, the Ministry of Education and the National Authority for Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management in addition to To representatives of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Dubai Municipality, Sharjah Health Authority, Ajman Municipality and Planning Department, Umm Al Quwain Municipality, Environmental Protection and Development Authority in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah Municipality.
Mariam Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food and Water Security confirmed that the rational leadership provided unlimited support to strengthen the food security system for the UAE at all times, especially during the crisis of the emergence of the new Corona epidemic (Covid 19), which led to the support of all food supply chains from within the UAE and various Countries of the world despite the challenges of the crisis and its repercussions on the global trade movement.
Al-Muhairi said: “The Corona pandemic demonstrated the state’s readiness for the state’s food security system to deal with various emergencies and crises. Thanks to the approach of strategic cooperation and partnership between the various stakeholders in the country, we have achieved many successes in terms of providing all major food commodity products in the country’s markets, and our third meeting comes for Building on these successes and enhancing our ability to meet our food needs now and in the future. "
Al-Muhairi added: “The Corona crisis has carried many challenges that we are currently seeking to turn into opportunities to reap its fruits for decades to come. The wise leadership with its wise vision has been proactive through its endeavor to enhance our local production of food possible with technology as a strategic direction for the UAE as well as directing us to work on Rationalizing food consumption in all stages of food supply chains in the country.
Al-Muhairi continued: “As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai said, the world before Corona is not the world after Corona, and from this enlightened vision we must start a new phase of work for the future of our food security and exploitation All ways and means to enhance our readiness and create an inspiring work environment as a model for participatory work in order to reach our common goal of transforming the UAE into a global center for food security based on innovation and enabling citizens and residents in the country to obtain healthy, safe and sufficient food at reasonable prices at all times and conditions, including Times of emergency and crisis. "
The Emirates Council for Food Security operates according to a mechanism that takes into account common trends in managing the food security system in the country, which is water security, energy security, emergencies, crises, strategic stocks, local agricultural production, food safety, external investment and diversification of import and nutrition sources.
The Council is considered the central authority concerned with following up the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy with the concerned authorities. The council’s tasks include overseeing the implementation of the strategic plans and goals that include 5 strategic goals: facilitating global food trade, diversifying import sources, developing sustainable local production possible with technology for the entire value chain and reducing loss and waste Food, ensuring food safety, improving nutrition systems, and enhancing resilience to food security risks and crises.
During the meeting, the Food Security Working Group in Abu Dhabi confirmed that, based on the directives and follow-up of the wise leadership, it set strategic goals and an action plan for its implementation, which includes a set of specific initiatives to ensure the sustainability of food commodity supply in sales outlets, support of the related entities in the food chain, diversification of sources of importing food commodities and focus on supporting Local production, praising the cooperation of all relevant government agencies.
In turn, Omar Bushahab, Chairman of the Dubai Food Security Committee, valued the national efforts to achieve the sustainability of the food security system and the provision of healthy and safe food for all members of society at all times, including emergency and crisis times, noting that the UAE government is working to harness all capabilities to enhance its readiness for the future according to the vision of rational leadership , Stressing that our country enjoys food security and its system is capable of facing the expected challenges of the post-Corona period.
Bushhab said: "The UAE government is working according to a proactive approach that enabled it to develop plans and mechanisms to diversify food sources and ensure their sustainability, and its impact was evident during the challenge of the Corona global pandemic, which, despite the challenges it created, our food security system has demonstrated its full readiness to deal with it and secure and supply food supplies in all state markets. It is the result of joint action and the concerted efforts of all concerned parties and the unlimited support of the wise leadership. "
He added: "The strategy of working in this vital file in the future involves harnessing the technological capabilities to push the strategic directions of food security for the UAE and effective contribution to achieving the goals of the national food security strategy and enhancing the strategic inventory by using innovative tools and solutions to facilitate access to food and accelerate access to self-sufficiency and reduce Dependence on import. "
The meeting witnessed the formation of the main committees that follow the council and its role revolves around the optimal implementation of the work mechanisms of the council and the application of the national food security strategy in coordination with the concerned authorities. The national committee was formed to reduce food waste and waste concerned with developing initiatives to reduce food loss and waste by 15% until the end of 2021 where The committee is chaired by Dubai Municipality.
The National Committee for the Development of Local Production and Technology concerned with setting up initiatives was established to measure the percentage of improvement in the yield from technology-enabled production by 30% until the end of 2021 and to measure the percentage of increase in the production of selected strategic food items by 15% until the end of 2021 and the committee is chaired by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Agriculture and Food Safety, In addition to forming the Consultative Committee for Food Security, which is a neutral scientific committee that expresses opinion on the relevant national legislations and policies and implements scientific studies on developments in international risks in the field of food security. Members of the academic and private sector are represented in this committee.
The Council discussed the federal law on organizing strategic stocks and ways to develop work to increase the state's strategic stock of basic commodities in order to raise the state's readiness for the various current and future variables.
The meeting also reviewed the most important local patterns and trends affecting the national food security file and its impact on future plans, market study, demand size and other elements that determine how to deal with supply chains during the next period.