Global AgInvesting returns to the UAE for high-level discussions on agriculture investment opportunities to ensure food security and financial returns
BOSTON - With the world population predicted to grow to nine billion by 2050, and a 40% population growth expected in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during that time with a need for 50% more food locally, this area is stepping up their multibillion-dollar search for food security, and in some cases, food self-sufficiency.
These fundamental issues will take center stage at the third annual Global AgInvesting (GAI) Middle East conference in Dubai on 23-25 February 2015 at Jumeirah Emirates Towers. This premier event will offer two and a half days of educational panel discussions, in-depth analysis, and unrivaled opportunities to network with forward-thinking investors and industry executives who see agriculture investing as a critical strategy to ensure food security as well as financial returns.
According to an article released by Global AgInvesting Media, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations have depended heavily on food imports since World War II, and last year imported 80% to 90% of all food consumed. Foreign farmland investments have been the focus of the past few decades, and Deutsche Bank research suggests that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) now rivals the United States and China in investment in foreign agricultural assets. This strategy will continue to be part of the food security solution, as more oversight is put in place and the FAO's Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems are more universally recognized.
In addition to the foreign investment strategy, the Gulf States and the private sector will need to invest locally in smart agriculture to produce more food at home. Opportunities abound in areas such as controlled environment agriculture, sustainable aquaculture, crop monitoring and water conservation.
Over 55 international thought leaders will speak at GAI Middle East 2015 and continue this discussion, and will present strategies for diversified agriculture portfolios such as regional variation and opportunities in dairy and aquaculture. Panels will highlight innovations for challenging agricultural environments, the GCC agri-food sector, supply chain logistics and more. Registration is available exclusively at www.globalaginvesting.com/Dubai15.
About Global AgInvesting
Global AgInvesting is the world's most well attended agriculture investment conference series and leading resource for events, research and insight into the global agricultural sector. GAI has hosted more than 6,500 attendees since 2009, and currently produces five annual events in New York, San Francisco, Singapore, London, and Dubai, and publishes the industry's most critical periodical, the Global AgInvesting Quarterly newsletter. GAI is a brand of HighQuest Group, a strategic advisory, conference and media company serving corporations, financial investors and governments across the global food and agribusiness value chains.
© Press Release 2015
