ABU DHABI –

The second edition of Agriscape, the international exhibition dedicated to agricultural investments abroad, kicked off Monday at Rosewood Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The event, organised by Food Security Centre Abu Dhabi under the supervision of Mariam Hareb Almheiri, Minister of State for Food Security, convened 53 exhibitors associated with agri-land and other agri-assets in more than 50 countries.

Commenting on the exhibition, Almheiri said “the UAE leadership is committed to encouraging investment and enhancing food production systems to support sustainable development and bridging the nutritional gap given their far-reaching implications for the well-being of society.”

“As food security is a pressing resource security challenge for the UAE, we have a keen interest in increasing agricultural efficiency through the adoption of new methods and diversifying the pattern of agricultural investment abroad. Agriscape 2018 further solidifies the UAE’s position as a leading player in global food security through facilitating investment in agriculture and making the country a global agro-food hub.”

The exclusive, by-invitation-only event will convene 53 exhibitors associated with agri-land and other agri-assets in more than 50 countries. The exhibition will draw the participation of 300 prominent investors including 100 hosted buyers from all over the world, making it one of the biggest global gatherings of agri-investors.

Agriscape 2018 features 12 country pavilions, up from four pavilions in 2017, to highlight the key investment opportunities related to agricultural investment and food security across the globe.

Mariam bint Hareb Al Muhairy, the UAE’s Minister of State for Food Security, said: “The UAE leadership is committed to encouraging investment and enhancing food production systems to support sustainable development and bridging the nutritional gap given their far-reaching implications for the well-being of society. As food security is a pressing resource security challenge for the UAE, we have a keen interest in increasing agricultural efficiency through the adoption of new methods and diversifying the pattern of agricultural investment abroad. Agriscape 2018 will further solidify the UAE’s position as a leading player in global food security through facilitating investment in agriculture and making the country a global agro-food hub.”

Al Muhairy added: “With agricultural production expected to grow to meet the increasing nutritional requirements of a growing world population over the next decade, the UAE, in collaboration with its international partners, is leading the way in encouraging agricultural investment by creating and nurturing partnerships between decision makers and businesses. This will ensure sustainability of food resources in all circumstances and at all times through effective stakeholder coordination and public-private initiatives.”

Khalifa Al Ali, CEO of the Food Security Center Abu Dhabi (FSCAD), which is the strategic partner of Agriscape 2018, said: “With food security at the heart of sustainable development, Agriscape demonstrates Abu Dhabi’s priority in promoting enhanced food security through agricultural investment. Agriscape has already staked out a position as a world-class platform that will do much to drive innovation and investment to benefit our region and beyond. In line with our mission to strengthen our country’s food security resilience, we are delighted to use this occasion to identify investment priorities with international decision makers and investors.”

Al Ali added: “Investment in agriculture to boost food security is one of the key themes of this year’s Agriscape exhibition. The event provides a platform for policy makers and agricultural industry leaders to discuss the challenges facing the food industry and potential solutions for improving production.”

Khdeim Al Derhi, Deputy Chairman of Aldahra, the Headline Sponsor of Agriscape 2018, said: “We are proud to be associated with an event that offers an excellent forum for business leads to interact and identify the most promising investment opportunities going forward. At Aldahra, we are seeking to boost additional investment in agriculture as a key pillar of sustainable development across countries in the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere.”

Saudi Arabia will record an unprecedented outing at Agriscape, with leading Saudi companies operating in the farmland and agri-food investment domains, including Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (Salic).

Khaled Mohammed Al-Aboodi, CEO of Salic, said: “Our operations are focused on countries that offer a competitive advantage in producing specialized food products and ensuring their availability for export to our markets. We are delighted to participate in Agriscape as a globally recognized forum for encouraging investment in this vital sector.”

The event will host four ministers from the UAE, Uganda, Brazil, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Minister of Agriculture in Brazil and the Minister of Industry in DRC will lead the workshops of their respective countries during the exhibition.

The agenda will include the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) related to food security – between the UAE and Uganda, and between the UAE Ministry of Food Security and Al Dahra Agriculture, headline sponsor of Agriscape 2018 as part of the ministry’s efforts to implement national programs aimed at enhancing food security within the five strategic directions outlined within the MoU.

The exhibition is hosting many of leading global and regional businesses in the agricultural sector. As the third largest agri-business in the world, Olam International is one of the world’s largest suppliers of cocoa beans and products, coffee, cotton and rice, and operates from seed to shelf in 70 countries, supplying food and industrial raw materials to over 23,000 customers worldwide.

Ravi Pokhriyal, President and Regional Head for West Africa and MENA, Olam International, said: “As one of the world’s largest agri-businesses, Olam has a significant presence in the Middle East and Africa with farming, procurement, processing and distribution operations. Our success has been built on creating strong partnerships with numerous private and public organizations, as well as a commitment to re-imagine global agriculture for the better. We look forward to exploring new opportunities to support the region’s food security at Agriscape.”

Agriscape, which has already established an eminent reputation in addressing the critically important food security issue, will focus on the many opportunities available across the full range of agricultural investment while emphasizing the crucial role of effective stakeholder coordination. — SG