Tuesday, Feb 16, 2016

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi’s rice milling and distribution plant is expected to start operation soon in a bid to meet the country’s high demand for rice-based foods, a top official in the capital said.

In fact, the UAE’s food security is improving due to the country’s geographic location and its high import of food to accommodate the various needs by its residents from around 130 nationalities, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) announced.

“Food security is a multi-dimensional issue for which the UAE has placed thorough policies, even going as far as setting up a Food Security Centre. The UAE is an importer of the majority of its food supply and, fortunately, the country does so from a number of sources, giving residents a number of alternatives and options when selecting products, especially for individuals with specific diets such as vegetarians,” Rashid Mohammad Al Shariqi, director-general of ADFCA, said.

Al Shariqi was speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of the third annual Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) which kicked off today in the capital to showcase some of the latest innovations in agriculture.

“Additionally, the new rice mill opening in the capital’s Khalifa Industrial Zone (KIZAD) will deal with 100,000 tonnes per year. The placement of such strategic plants means that the UAE indirectly secures its food supply by becoming part of the supply chain,” he added.

Another project expected to revolutionise the way that agriculture is conducted is the ADFCA’s Protected Agriculture Project which runs on recycled water treated with UV rays, has its own cooling system, which means that plants growing there are not affected by climate change.

“This project aims to increase productivity by three times as farmers currently harvest 30-40kg/square metre and we hope to bring that number up to 100kg/square metre. The protected environment also means that those careful about what they eat can be reassured that

their food is coming from a controlled environment which uses no harmful chemicals, only natural organic minerals,” said Dr Mohammad Salman Yousuf Al Hammadi, Research and Development director at ADFCA.

“The system also provides a rate of zero water loss whereas in normal cases water loss due to evaporation reaches 40 per cent in the summer, especially in July and August,” he added.

The Protected Agriculture Project was launched in 2016 and currently houses tomatoes, cucumbers and pepper, with plans on using treated wastewater in the future to increase sustainability.

Last year, GFIA saw over 4,500 attendees from 85 countries, 254 exhibitors, 23 ministerial delegations, 80 new innovations and 40 globally significant partners.

by Nada Altaher Staff Reporter

Gulf News 2016. All rights reserved.