- The UAE’s participation in the initiative will bolster international cooperation, promoting the adoption of climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture for farmers worldwide.
DUBAI, 9 May 2023 –The Minister of Climate Change and Environment, HE Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, officially announced that the UAE’s participation in the UK-led Agriculture Breakthrough Initiative. The initiative’s primary goal is to make climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers worldwide by 2030.
The announcement came during the AIM for Climate Ministerial session of the AIM for Climate Summit (AIM4C) in Washington DC, United States, where HE Mariam Almheiri highlighted the importance of collaboration and progress in addressing climate change.
HE Mariam Almheiri said: “The UAE is pleased to announce that it will join the Agriculture Breakthrough, recognizing that its objectives align directly with AIM for Climate and vice versa. Both provide a forum for collective action and mutual progress, offering us an opportunity to modernize and decarbonize while safeguarding our future food production.”
The Agriculture Breakthrough Initiative, first launched at COP26 in Glasgow, aims to make climate-resilient, sustainable agriculture the most attractive and widely adopted option for farmers around the globe by 2030. The UAE’s participation in the initiative will strengthen international collaboration, accelerate the deployment of clean technologies, and drive down costs in the agricultural sector.
HE Almheiri is heading the MOCCAE delegation at the AIM4C Summit, co-led by the UAE and the US. The summit, features a diverse agenda of sessions and meetings, effectively driving increased investment in agricultural R&D and innovation, which has a rich agenda of sessions and meetings, has successfully catalyzed greater investment in agricultural R&D and innovation, elevating global aspirations, and empowering policymakers to make informed decisions based on scientific data for the betterment of people worldwide.
On the second day of the AIM4C Summit, HE Almheiri showcased the UAE’s progress in the agriculture sector since COP26 alongside high-level speakers from the FAO, World Bank, and other organizations, at a Ministerial Meeting on the Agriculture Breakthrough. The meeting, hosted by the UK, aimed to drive global ambition in agriculture technology development and deployment, served as a platform for agriculture ministers to set ambitious goals for the 2024 Agriculture Breakthrough Priority Actions, scheduled for launch at COP28 in Dubai later this year.
The UAE Embassy in Washington organised a parallel Business Engagement roundtable for industry leaders from the US food sector. During the roundtable, HE Almheiri encouraged further US investment into the UAE and highlighted UAE agri-tech business opportuities.
She reiterated the UAE’s 2051 vision is to be a world-leading hub in innovation-driven food security. HE Almheiri also emphasized the importance of facilitating global agri-business trade, diversifying international food sources, and enhancing sustainable technology-enabled domestic food supply.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) also participated in the High-Level Plenary “Breaking Barriers: Insights from Trailblazing Women in Science”. HE Mohammed Mousa Alameeri, Assistant Undersecretary for the Food Diversity Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, emphasized the importance of women’s leadership in accelerating climate action and UAE’s progress in promoting gender equality, such as equal pay for equal work, expanded maternity leave, and introducing paternity leave.
The consequences of these achievements include increased agricultural productivity, improved livelihoods, conservation of natural resources and biodiversity, and development of greater resilience to climate change.
