MoCCAE, PMA and Food Tech Valley join forces to strengthen food system innovation

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE), the World Food Program (WFP) and Food Tech Valley signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen innovation in food systems and agriculture.

The MoU was signed during the UAE’s sustainability year and as part of the Ministry’s preparations for the COP28 Conference of the Parties to be held in Dubai later this year.

The agreement highlights the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening the UAE’s food systems and agriculture and to keeping up with the latest developments and technologies across the food value chain to achieve the goals of the UAE National Food Security Strategy.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dubai by Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment; Hesham Al Qassim, Vice President and CEO of Wasl, the company responsible for managing and developing Food Tech Valley; Abdel Mageed Yahia, Director of the United Nations World Food Program Office in the United Arab Emirates and WFP Representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries; together with officials of the signatory parties.

Al-Nuaimi highlighted the enthusiasm of Ministry of Climate Change and Environment cooperate with other parties to implement the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy to develop sustainable local production and promote smart technologies in food production.

He added,

“Our collaboration with the WFP and its Innovation Accelerator and Food Tech Valley aims to exchange knowledge and experiences that support the application of advanced solutions to manage the entire food system of the country. This is to achieve various nutritional, environmental and climate objectives. Modern food systems represent an important pillar in our efforts to improve national food security. We aim to share our experience with the world during COP28. The UAE encourages countries to sign the “Emirates Declaration on Food Systems resilient, sustainable agriculture and climate.” Action to eliminate hunger in the world.”

He concluded,

“We are pleased with the continued cooperation with the World Food Program and Food Tech Valley, and look forward to strengthening this partnership to serve all of our mutual goals.”

Hesham Al Qassim saying,

“Food security is one of the UAE’s strategic objectives for the future of the country. Innovation and technology will help pave the way to achieve these goals and solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, while food security can pave the way to peace, progress and stability. We strive to achieve this positive impact at scale together with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the United Nations World Food Programme, the world’s largest humanitarian organization.

“Our mission to create resilient food systems has been strengthened by this powerful and strategic partnership, and we look forward to future collaboration to address food security at local, regional and global levels.”

Abdel Mageed Yahia saying,

“WFP is delighted to partner with both the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Food Tech Valley to create real and lasting impact on global food systems through the transformative power of innovation. WFP has a rich history of using innovation in fragile contexts spanning more than six decades, from pioneering humanitarian airlifts to scaling up cutting-edge technologies that improve program delivery and empower local innovators to create local solutions in all our operations.

With WFP’s global reach and the specialized expertise of our Innovation Accelerator under the leadership of Bernhard Kowatschthe specialized WFP team that fosters and scales innovative solutions to real humanitarian and development problems, combined with the Ministry’s vision and the experience of the Food Tech ValleyWe can catalyze a revolutionary transformation in food systems, to achieve more resilient and sustainable livelihoods.

Under the MoU, the three parties will explore forms of cooperation to exchange information on key innovative initiatives and related opportunities that advance the shared priorities of MOCCAE, Food Tech Valley and the WFP Innovation Accelerator. The three parties also agreed to share innovations that drive the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

For WFP, the agreement will explore opportunities to benefit from innovative practices, tools and technologies supported by Food Tech Valley and strengthen strategic cooperation.

Bernhard Kowatsch, Director of the WFP Innovation Acceleratorsaying,

“This collaboration between the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Food Tech Valley and WFP will allow us to further enhance innovative solutions in the area of ​​climate and food security. The WFP Innovation Accelerator will easily contribute to this work. I am excited about how we can build on WFP’s existing innovation work, supporting over 150 innovations and reaching 37 million people around the world, combined with Food Tech Valley and the Ministry to maximize enabling and nurturing systems innovations. food and smart water use around the world. world.”

The agreement aims to mobilize funds and resources for the implementation of activities. It also seeks to conduct studies, provide training, conduct training camps, research, seminars, workshops, meetings, conferences and symposiums for the exchange of experiences and other information that impacts the UAE’s regional and global food security concerns.

The memorandum also focuses on cooperation to promote innovative solutions that address food security challenges and collaborate in carrying out effective projects to address these challenges. Additionally, it aims to contribute to the UAE’s 2050 agenda and COP28 commitments to global sustainability.

News source: Emirates News Agency