Read about the action plan to strengthen it in the country

Mohammed bin Rashid: Food and water security is part of our national security

  • Mohammed bin Rashid listens, in the presence of Hamdan bin Mohammed and Mansour bin Zayed, to a presentation by Maryam Al Muhairi on efforts to enhance food and water security in the UAE. WAM

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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, said that “food and water security are among the priority files in the UAE government for the post-Covid-19 phase, and the goal is to launch specific initiatives to enhance our readiness to face all kinds of crises. His Highness added that "the global (Corona) crisis has given us a more comprehensive vision and a greater ability to deal with challenges, and we must build on this experience to enhance our food and water security."

This came during a meeting held by His Highness in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to review the action plan aimed at enhancing food and water security in the UAE Against the background of the ministerial formation of the UAE government for the post-"Covid-19" period, during which His Highness directed the Minister of State for Food and Water Security, Maryam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, to follow up the national stock and invest in food technology, and build relevant international partnerships, within the framework of creating And implementing practical solutions to the challenges facing the Emirates, in a way that supports the food and water system, to meet the development requirements in all areas during the coming period.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: “Our food and water security is part of our national security ... and the sustainability of our food and water resources is a guarantee for the sustainability of development in our country.” Adding His Highness: “Preserving the Emirati welfare system requires all of us to establish a national awareness of the importance of mobilizing resources and capabilities. And efforts to create an integrated self-sufficiency system.

His Highness stressed the importance of the role that society members must play in this context. His Highness wrote in a tweet on "Twitter": "The file is vital to the stability of development in our country, and the role of individuals is very important in the economy in our water and food resources. We do not spend even if we are on a running river."

The efforts to enhance food and water security come within the framework of the relentless follow-up by the UAE government regarding enhancing the country's readiness towards various future variables, building on what has been achieved during the crisis of the spread of the new Corona virus (Covid-19), and the success of various state-related parties in forming a team An integrated work that was able to take the necessary measures and procedures to provide all food commodities in all the state's markets.

The government is also keen to find practical solutions to enhance water security closely related to food security in particular, to meet the needs of technologically enabled agricultural projects and other components of food production in the country.

In this regard, the Minister of State for Food and Water Security, Maryam Bint Muhammad Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, highlighted the most prominent efforts and initiatives concerned with enhancing food and water security in the UAE, and presented a comprehensive presentation of the strategic plan that outlines the most important directions in this file during the next stage. In light of many future challenges that threaten the world's food and water resources, amid growing global interest in this vital issue, in light of the outbreak of the emerging coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic, which threatened to strike and disrupt supply chains and the supply of products, especially in terms of agricultural and food products. Amidst the logistical complications that have resulted in the first place, which prompted many countries to rely on local supply chains, which reinforced the importance of pushing efforts in the country towards creating a self-sufficiency system.

She explained that the leadership has a forward-looking vision that works on harnessing all means and capabilities, in order to find practical solutions to global future challenges that affect societal and economic stability, saying: “The food and water security file is an urgent necessity in order to enhance the work of the various vital sectors in the Emirates. A fundamental pillar for sustainable development and resource management, and making the most of it in order to provide water and food for current and future generations. Joint work must be done by all concerned parties to achieve the best results that ensure the prosperity of the two sectors.

She added: “Partnership is a fundamental approach in government work in the UAE, and we will work with various local and international relevant bodies to formulate a framework that we will follow in order to achieve the common interest, and to upgrade our capabilities in the food and water sectors, in order to meet our aspirations and establish our leading position, and to enhance our readiness for the future.” .

During the meeting, Al Muhairi reviewed the broad lines of work in the file of food and water security in the UAE, explaining that it revolves around supervising strategic reserves, supporting research and development and adopting integrated water management techniques that are compatible with the UAE environment, as well as improving international participation and representation.

It also reviewed strategic indicators for water security, which are based on maintaining replenishment of water resources and access to water.

Al-Muhairi highlighted the importance of scientific research and development in the future of water security, especially in the field of water recycling and reuse, and the organization of effective and innovative tools to achieve the maximum possible use of irrigation water to provide the needs of trees and crops.

She touched on how to make the most of dams throughout the country, and to employ solar energy systems in order to reduce water waste from evaporation as well as produce energy.

With regard to food security, Maryam Al Muhairi reviewed the most important axes on which the mechanism of action will be based during the coming period, in order to enhance the food security of the Emirates, as she confirmed that the coming period will witness great interest in food technology and its employment, in order to create a new economic support for the UAE and enhance its position A leading global center for food security based on innovation and knowledge, as many modern technologies will be relied upon in order to upgrade the entire food system in the country, such as genomics and the outputs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

She pointed out that society will be a fundamental pillar during the action plan in order to enhance its role in supporting the food security file, through its contribution to the entire food value chain, especially food production, in addition to raising its awareness of the nutritional challenges facing the state and participating in finding practical solutions to it. .

Al-Muhairi stressed the importance of reducing the percentage of food loss and waste, noting that the coming period will witness efforts to apply modern technologies, in order to treat organic waste and convert it into vital food and feed alternatives, in a manner that supports the state's directions towards promoting a circular economy and sustainable development.

Vice President of the State:

"Food and water security are among the priority files in the UAE government for the post-Covid-19 phase ... and the aim is to launch specific initiatives to enhance our readiness to face all kinds of crises."

"The global Corona crisis has given us a more comprehensive vision and a greater ability to deal with challenges ... and we must build on this experience to enhance our food and water security."

"Preserving the UAE welfare system requires us to consolidate awareness of the importance of mobilizing resources, capabilities and efforts to create an integrated self-sufficiency system."

"The sustainability of food and water resources is a guarantee of the sustainability of development ... We do not spend it even if we are on a running river."

Maryam Al Muhairi:

"The coming period will witness great interest in food technology and its employment, to create a new economic support."

Water production from fog

During the meeting, Maryam Al Muhairi revealed the directions for the next phase to enhance water security for the UAE, as she stressed the importance of working to save water inside homes and manage water resources more effectively, by improving water recycling techniques, in addition to inventing tools that can produce water from Untapped sources, such as fog.

The 'blue economy'

Maryam Al Muhairi mentioned that the "blue economy", which means good management of water resources and the protection of the seas and oceans in a sustainable way to preserve them for current and future generations, will be a vital focus of the food security file, as the Food and Water Security Office will work in the next phase on a national plan for the development and use of marine resources. It sets an integrated framework to enhance the utilization of marine resources for the development of the economy, through the development of food products, functional foods, marine protein sources and others.

She stressed that the explorations of new marine organisms, compatible with the environment of the UAE, in addition to the promotion of aquaculture activities aimed at producing seafood in the country, will be among the most important axes for activating the mechanisms of the blue economy and enhancing food security in the UAE during the next stage.

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