A UAE investments expert has warned the country not to make the same mistakes as other nations when it comes to food security.
Syed Tariq Husain, CEO of Emirates Investments Group in the UAE, said that robust investments in agricultural research - and development from the public and private sectors - are vital for the ongoing growth of food industries.
Husain said that the investments need to be made in research, science, and technology to lay a foundation for improved agricultural productivity, reduced waste and a healthier and safer food supply.
"Some countries have made mistakes in the past by investing in projects like wheat and cattle farming, which are highly water intensive and not sustainable," UAE national news agency WAM quoted Husain as saying.
"We need to explore alternatives, for example investing in agricultural land abroad or leasing land to a professional who can manage it more efficiently with better practices."
Husain will be a headline speaker at the Agribusiness Outlook Forum, part of AGRA Middle East, from March 25 to 27 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
According to Global Harvest Initiative's 2012 Global Agriculture Production Report, food demand in the MENA region is expected to grow at 2.14 per cent by 2050.
Husain added: "MENA countries can succeed in conducting cost effective policies to achieve sustainable agricultural growth by forming strategic partnerships with countries in the Central Asian Republic, North Africa, Pakistan and Turkey."
Recently, however, Dubai Trade CEO Mahmood Al Bastaki said that there was more of an "internal focus" on local food production in the UAE.
© 7Days 2014
