In light of the working sessions, lectures, interventions, and discussions held, the conference stressed the importance of strengthening the joint Arab efforts to address the environmental challenges facing the Arab region, particularly water scarcity, degradation of arable land and the expansion of desertification.
The Conference commended UAE's experience and its diverse achievements through its Vision 2021 in the field of transformation towards green economy and food security by focusing on the adoption of sustainable agricultural patterns. It also praised the role of the private sector in the UAE and its pioneering initiatives in adopting smart farming techniques.
The conference also noted the new reforms and visions witnessed by several Arab countries in the context of achieving the goals of sustainable development and the enormous opportunities opened for new agricultural investments. It praised the role of the “Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development” in supporting small and medium enterprises at the regional and international levels and the role of the “Saudi Agricultural Development Fund” in launching new financing products to support sustainable agriculture and rural development. As well as the “Arab Trade Fund's Inter-Arab Trade Financing Program” (AMF) initiative to provide a "structured finance" approach that facilitates concessional financing for full supply chain parties. As well as IFAD's new initiative to create a dedicated fund for young farmers, as well as the role of IFAD in managing a funding mechanism for innovative projects for expatriate remittances.
The conference welcomed the role of the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) by establishing a private sector fund to finance land degradation reduction projects, focusing on sustainable, climate-friendly private sector projects, reforestation and green infrastructure in cities. As well as the role of the “Omani Food Investment Holding Company” and its new project to establish the food innovation complex.
The Conference emphasized that sustainable agricultural development through smart agriculture is the cornerstone for achieving Arab food security. Its achievement requires the enhancement of agricultural economic integration, genetic improvement of crops, governance of natural resource management and production requirements, the creation of an attractive climate for investment, the use of advanced agricultural technology and optimal utilization for surface and groundwater resources.
The participants reached the following recommendations:
1. Emphasize the importance of the “Private Sector Forum” organized by the Union of Arab Chambers within the framework of the "Fourth Session of the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit" to be held in the Republic of Lebanon in January 2019 under the slogan "Fourth Industrial Revolution and Sustainable Development for a more inclusive Arab economy", and to launch initiatives that promote investment in smart agriculture in the Arab world, green investments and sustainable agricultural solutions, as well as logistics.
2. The selection of focal areas adjacent to some Arab ports and the adoption of logistics centers and storage and processing areas and the establishment of industrial zones, with the recommendation to establish the first Arab commodity exchange. The conference emphasizes the importance of the Emirate of Fujairah as a hub because of its strategic location, its current infrastructure and the one under construction, its distinctive ports, storage areas, and modern silos.
3. The importance of looking at the issue of food security in the comprehensive sense because it extends to the problem of distribution, which includes the loss of food and rolling from it, and therefore the importance of logistics and reduce the waste of logistics, and therefore it is necessary to focus on different alternatives of cooperation between governments and the private sector, where the alliances counts not only the direct trade.
4. Invite Arab banks and Arab, regional and international funding institutions to open ways and launch initiatives to finance the private sector in the field of food security and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation especially for young people in the field of agricultural projects and food industries in the countryside.
5. Invite the Arab Chambers to comply with the pilot experience of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Tripoli and North Lebanon by devising a tracking system for food commodities in the quality control laboratories of the Chamber.
6. Inviting investors to take into consideration new investments to keep abreast of smart and sustainable agricultural technology, and upgrade the mechanization of all agricultural operations, quality and safety in accordance with international standards, taking care of continuous training of employees and upgrading their skills. Emphasizing the role of small and medium-sized producers and inviting large companies to take their hand and train them and enhance their contribution to food production.
7. Adopting "Agricultural Mobile Clinics" which have proved successful in enhancing the quality, efficiency, and safety of agricultural and food production, in conjunction with expanding marketing opportunities, educating farmers and improving their livelihoods.
8. The importance of using modern technology in food processing to lessen from energy consumption and other resources through infrared heating and cold sterilization, biotechnology to enhance quality, safety and improve specifications, and nanotechnology to improve food benefits and safety.
9. Adopting recycling and new technology for packing, packaging and storage containers, and complying with the leading and successful international experiments for this purpose.
10. Call on Arab countries to comply with the UAE experience for the "Emirates Sustainable Agriculture" initiative, which will be applied to farms of all sizes and with all stakeholders in the food chain to promote sustainable agricultural practices.
11. The importance of investment in livestock development with a focus on improving the fertility and growth of sheep and on the production of feeds on a sustainable basis.
12. The importance of continuous cooperation between government agencies and chambers of commerce in order to improve the food industry through the development of an integrated strategy aimed at updating the policies, laws and legislation, including sanitary and phytosanitary legislation, rural infrastructure development, control bodies, laboratories and extension centers, research and development of storage, and distribution to reduce waste and raise the efficiency of production, and provide land for the establishment of factories and reduce duties and taxes on raw materials, as well as the development of health control of food in accordance with international standards.
13. Strengthen communication between international and Arab institutions active in supporting food security with the private sector to support the development of advanced production techniques and technologies, improved crop varieties, sustainable crop management practices, increased efficiency of water resource use, in addition to the applied research and training.
14. Strengthen national innovation systems and invest in modernizing educational and training systems in modern agricultural sciences in partnership between the public and private sectors, and cooperation among Arab countries in these fields.
15. Benefit from the experience of Brazil presented by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce in the field of family agriculture and technology of agriculture based on the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
16. To overcome the obstacles and challenges that hinder the flow of intra-Arab trade in general and the trade in agricultural and food products in particular by working to standardize the standards, reduce taxes and facilitate and accelerate commercial transit.
17. Work to resist desertification, increase the green area, expand the techniques of agriculture by seawater, and establish green belts around cities and highways.
The conference also recommended the implementation of its recommendations and to submit to the next session of the Conference an assessment of the recommendations made at the Conference.
The conference included bilateral business meetings between Arab employers to cooperate in establishing projects in the field of food security. During the conference, honorary shields were presented to chairpersons and spokespersons.
At the end of the conference, the participants paid the highest tribute to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council of the Union and Ruler of Fujairah for sponsoring the conference.
They also thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, for taking the opportunity to attend the conference and to receive heads of delegations and to discuss with them their aspirations for future investment in food security in the UAE and the Arab world.
The participants also thanked the Union of Arab Chambers, the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment of the United Arab Emirates, the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the United Arab Emirates, the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the cooperating parties for their efforts in organizing and preparing the conference. They expressed their gratitude for hosting the conference and for the warm hospitality they received during their stay in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Thanks are due to all participants in the Conference.
