A global coalition led by the UAE and the United States to improve food security and mitigate the effects of climate change has revealed plans to increase its investment objective from $4 billion to $8 billion. At the Cop26 in Glasgow in November last year, the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) announced $4 billion in new investments in climate-smart agriculture and imaginative food systems, with the UAE and the US leading the charge.
The new aim was revealed following the group's first ministerial-level meeting in Dubai, which set the agenda for the UN climate change summit later this year in Sharm El Sheikh.
Small-scale farming in low- and middle-income countries, methane reduction, emerging technologies, and agro-ecological research will be the emphasis of the initiatives.
More than 140 countries and non-governmental organisations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have signed on to the Aim for Climate project.
"Transforming to sustainable food systems is a pressing task, and we don't have much time," Ms Al Mheiri explained.
"The UAE aspires to be a major exporter of environmentally friendly agricultural solutions for hot and dry areas." We are eager to share our knowledge with our partners and collaborate with other countries to address crucial food system concerns. We envision ourselves as an open lab where we may experiment, discover, and present solutions."
In recent years, the UAE has used technology to produce locally farmed salmon, berries, and quinoa — foods that are not native to the desert.
Agriculture generates around 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant contributor to the problem of tackling climate change.
The effort, led by the United Arab Emirates and the United States, is the world's first global agriculture and climate change coalition of its sort.
The two countries agreed to work together to boost research efforts to combat global hunger and the climate problem.
In a statement, UAE Climate Change Minister Mariam al-Mheiri said, "Agriculture and food systems provide great opportunity for global climate action."