The Emirates Food Security Council has met virtually for the first time in 2021, as part of the UAE's commitment to strengthening the country's food supply chain ecosystem and exploring trends in food commerce in the UAE and around the world.

The meeting, which was chaired by Mariam Almheiri, UAE Minister of State for Food and Water Security, discussed the necessary steps to strengthen the country's food system, with the council reviewing an action plan for 2021 and looking into ways to achieve the National Food Security Strategy's goals.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Abu Dhabi Agriculture & Food Safety Authority, Dubai Municipality, Sharjah Health Authority, Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate Change Authority, Environment & Climate.

A representative from the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture also attended the meeting (ICBA).

Almheiri stated that the UAE is trying to strengthen the food ecosystem by implementing a variety of innovative solutions that ensure food sustainability, promote food commerce, and make use of cutting-edge technology to boost local production and boost strategic food supplies.

"The UAE has many tools at its disposal to improve its preparedness for any future crisis, with the COVID-19 pandemic confirming that the country has the capacity to improve its food security and increase a certain degree of self-sufficiency for some key food commodities, as well as the ability to diversify its food sources and facilitate trade from various countries around the world," she said.

"The Emirates Food Security Council's varied members' cooperative and partnership attitude helps the attainment of the council's critical objectives. Continuous coordination allows us to find the best solutions for developing the entire food value chain across all emirates, both now and in the future, in order to contribute to the UAE's long-term sustainability and to prepare for the next fifty years. We are confident in our ability to continue improving our food ecosystem in order to meet rising local food demand and to transform the UAE into a leading worldwide hub for innovation-driven food security, which is one of the National Food Security Strategy's main objectives," the Minister stated.

The meeting of the Council resulted in a number of key recommendations, including the establishment of a mechanism to review and determine the price-cap for major food products in response to changes in the prices of agricultural inputs, such as feed to support facilities for the production of poultry, eggs, and fresh milk. As part of future risk management on national food security, the meeting also proposed hiring the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) to develop a model to estimate the impact of climate change and drought rates on local agricultural production.

The agricultural registry initiative for Abu Dhabi was introduced by Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority. Dr Tarifa Alzaabi, Acting Director-General of ICBA, also presented a forward-looking model for the impact of climate change on agriculture in the UAE.