The world's largest collection of sustainable agriculture innovations to be showcased at Abu Dhabi agriculture exhibition and conference

Abu Dhabi, UAE, March 7, 2014: Tomorrow sees the opening in Abu Dhabi of the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA), one of the most significant meetings of agricultural innovators, investors, scientists and researchers ever held to showcase game-changing innovations and new technologies needed to drive the future of global agriculture and change the way we feed the world.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, the second edition of GFIA will run from 9-11 March 2015, in Abu Dhabi in strategic partnership with the ADFCA.

Since its launch in 2014, GFIA has received major attention for its commitment to challenging the way food is produced. Now, with the backing of 40 globally significant partners and the attendance of ministers of agriculture committed to using GFIA as a catalyst for change, GFIA 2015 will serve as one of the most influential events in the world for all those seeking to contribute to the sustainable agriculture movement. The event will feature prominent speakers from global companies and organisations including McCain Continental, World Bank, Clinton Climate Initiative, Plantagon, United Nations and the Committee on World Food Security.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, Chairman of the GFIA Organizing Committee and Director of Communication & Community Service Division at ADFCA commented: "The world's population is growing and natural resources are diminishing. This problem is well documented, but to avoid a major catastrophe, the world has to find a way to produce 56% more food by 2050. The answer lies in innovation.  Our goal is to unite the Middle East behind sustainable solutions for food security and to harness new technologies for our desert landscape. GFIA is key to demonstrating the opportunities available to regional and international stakeholders."

Tomorrow's GFIA Opening Ceremony will see video addresses by  HRH The Prince of Wales who will address the crucial challenge of how food can be produced more sustainably, as well as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who will highlight the importance of finding solutions to the critical challenge of food and water security and climate change.

Other keynote speakers on day one include HRH King George Rukidi IV of Toro, Uganda; Dr. Ren Wang, Assistant Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Dr. Ethel Sennhauser, Director of Agriculture Global Practice, World Bank; and Johan Gatsonides, Head Food Security and Agroresources, Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands.

Taking place alongside a large international exhibition of over 250 suppliers to the industry, GFIA 2015 centres on five main conferences that run in parallel at the event. More than 250 speakers in total will address a range of key issues critical to the future of global agriculture and food production in these streams:

  • Global Climate-Smart Agriculture Summit - driven by the UN Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture, a major survey of technologies, techniques and creative directions to devise and implement climate-smart food productions systems
  • Food losses & waste from prevention to valorisation - technologies, practices and policies to meet the challenges faced throughout the whole value chain
  • Edible Cities: Building Resilience with Urban Agriculture - innovations and technologies for Creating Sustainable Climate Smart Food systems in the world's urban areas
  • ICT for Sustainable Agriculture - making the most of handheld computer power, big data and the connected world
  • Innovation Programme - the world's greatest collection of creative and sustainable solutions to in sustainable agriculture. Following 450 submissions, the Steering Committee have picked the top 100 to appear at GFIA 2015; each presenter will have just 15 minutes to tell the audience why their innovation can help feed the world

GFIA is sponsored by the Food Security Centre - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Farmers Services Centre, Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Exeed Industries, Al Dhara and the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce & Industry. Organised with official support from the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, GFIA 2015 will include a keynote speech by His Excellency Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water.

Find out more about GFIA at www.innovationsinagriculture.com, join the LinkedIn group 'Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture Network', follow GFIA on twitter @GFIA2015, or visit the Future Agriculture web portal at www.FutureAgriculture.info.

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About GFIA
The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) is an annual event, held in the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi. Established in 2014, GFIA - which includes a the three-day conference and two day exhibition - is now into its second year and will take place from 9-11 March at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

Organised by Turret Media, GFIA has been widely recognised as a leading platform dedicated to advancing innovation-led solutions to agricultural challenges. GFIA is a congregation of the world's leading academics, technologists and agricultural experts to discuss and advance solutions to the world's pressing food challenge.

The 2015 edition of the event will take place under the theme 'Climate Smart Agriculture', and include among its key highlights the second meeting of the UN Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture.

For more information, contact:
Rebecca McConnell
Marketing Director, Turret Media
E: r.mcconnell@turretme.com    
W: www.turretme.com

Muhannad Al Badri
Director, APCO Worldwide
PR agency for GFIA
E: malbadri@apcoworldwide.com
T
: +971 50 8559907

© Press Release 2015