6th Arab Conference for Investment in Food Security

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Fujairah - United Arab Emirates

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council – Ruler of Fujairah, the Union of Arab Chambers organized “The Sixth Arab Conference for Investment in Food Security” in the United Arab Emirates in Fujairah on 14 - 15 November 2018. The Conference was convened in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the United Arab Emirates, Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Secretariat General of the League of Arab States, Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Arab Federation for Food Industries. It will be attended by the Arab Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Arab and international companies and leading international organizations in the field of food security.

The Conference shed light on the importance of investing in “Smart Farming”, because it involves the optimal utilization of the least land area and the minimum quantity of water for the sake of obtaining the best crop output. Thus making it a promising future choice for the Arab world in their pursuit for sustainable agricultural output and a valuable option to overcome the constraints of limited resources and climate change that agriculture in the Arab countries.

The Conference aimed at discussing the national strategies of the Arab countries in this field, and explored the new opportunities for mobilizing the capacities of the Arab private sector to achieve a qualitative leap in investments to respond to the needs and priorities of the Arab world which require to approach food security in the context of sustainable development goals 2030. The approach needs to be solidly based on science, technology and innovation, whether for the national projects or at the level of joint Arab action.

The Arab world faces enormous challenges in order to maintain food security and to manage the resources in sustainable ways. In addition to conflicts in a number of countries in the region, besides droughts and severe climatic fluctuations, there are structural challenges related to high population growth, limited natural resources, particularly water, low productivity, and generally high levels of waste and pollution. Other major challenges include high exposure to increase and volatility in food prices, because all Arab countries are net importers of food and are highly dependent on imports to secure most of their needs.

Almost 20.7% of the Arab population lacks food security – which means that more than 80 million Arabs suffer from hunger or need food assistance. The reasons for this vary from wars and devastating conflicts and their tragic humanitarian consequences, to poverty, unemployment and other causes. The annual cost of mismanagement of freshwater supplies and sanitation is estimated at about 1% of the Arab world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and this percentage increases to 2-4% per year in the countries witnessing conflicts.

Nevertheless, the Arab world, with its non-invested potential, can contain the difficulties and embark on a path that enhances food security when appropriate policies are adopted, along with the use of water-saving technologies and modern agricultural technologies, and in accordance with national and Arab development plans based on a key role for the private sector in sustainable investment.

It is not too late to redress the exacerbation if the national and Arab joint action political will is determined to bring the issues of food and water security out of the circle of marginalization. The dream of Arab food security is still achievable, either by improving the use of agricultural land and irrigation means, or by increasing the areas of arable land, in addition to giving enough attention to the development of the food industry sectors, which are actually a major key to success.

Organizers

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Union of Arab Chambers.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in the United Arab Emirates.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Ministry of State for Future Food Security of the United Arab Emirates.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In cooperation with

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Secretariat General of the League of Arab States.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab Organization for Agricultural Development.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab Federation for Food Industries.

Topics of the Conference

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Food and water security within the framework of strategies and future economic visions of the Arab countries.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>UAE Food Security Strategy.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Policies needed by the private sector to invest in agricultural and hydrological modernization and sustainability.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Sudan's project to transform Arab food security into reality.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Promoting trade and food safety within the Greater Arab Free Trade Area.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Promising Investment opportunities for Arab food security.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Available and required funding resources.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Leading Arab and international experiences.

Conference Sessions

The Sessions of the Conference were held on November 14, 2018 and included five working sessions as follows:

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>Opening Session

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>1^st Session: “Global Projects & Pioneer Agricultural Initiatives of the United Arab Emirates”.

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>2^nd Session: “Financial opportunities & means for the private sector to invest in modernization & sustainability”.

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>3^rd Session: “Smart Farming, technology & R&D for better production and manufacturing of food and beverages”.

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>4^th Session: “Role of the Private Sector in Advancing Quality & Food Safety”.

<![if !supportLists]>- <![endif]>5^th Session: “Expanding the Green Area & Combating Desertification in the Arab World: Challenges & Opportunities”.

The 2^nd day of the conference featured a field and touristic tour to vital facilities and projects.

Objectives of the Conference

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Assessing the Arab food and water security situation and looking at the opportunities available to the Arab private sector to use technology, modern discoveries and their economic applications in order to modernize and sustain the agricultural sectors in the Arab countries.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Reviewing the experience of the host country in the field of food security and promising investment opportunities, within the framework of the future vision of the State.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Exchange knowledge and experiences among Arab and foreign businesspersons and experts and Arab and international institutions working in the field of food security, in order to learn about the latest related technologies and activate Arab and international cooperation in these fields.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Introducing promising investment opportunities, and promoting encouraging agricultural and food projects, identifying reform requirements for developing investment legislations and for eliminating obstacles to investment in sectors related to food and water security, and encouraging the use of sustainable, environment-friendly, food safety norms and healthy practices in Arab countries.

Conference participants

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Ministries and related official bodies in the host country.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in the Arab World.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab and foreign business owners and investors.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab, regional and international organizations concerned with food security.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Arab-Foreign Joint Chambers.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Concerned agricultural, food, industrial, commercial and investment companies.

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Banks and financing institutions.

Participation Coordinated by:

<![if !supportLists]>· <![endif]>Union of Arab Chambers

P.O Box: 11-2837

Tel: +961 1 826021/22/23