UAE National Pathway for Food Systems Transformation.

The UAE National Pathway for Food Systems Transformation is a comprehensive document aiming to transform the country’s food system into a sustainable, resilient, innovative, and secure model capable of ensuring access to safe, nutritious, affordable, and sufficient food for all, while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 on ending hunger, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture. Developed within the framework of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, the pathway seeks to position the UAE as a global leader in innovation-driven food security and achieve the highest ranking in the Global Food Security Index by 2051. It focuses on strengthening food production, reducing dependence on imports, promoting sustainable technologies and partnerships, and enhancing coordination among government entities, the private sector, and other stakeholders through a whole-of-nation approach. The pathway was informed by the UAE’s National Food Systems Dialogue, which brought together stakeholders to identify priorities for transforming food production and developing innovative solutions, including initiatives such as FoodTech Valley. It addresses key challenges facing UAE food systems, including reliance on imports for over 90% of food needs, population growth, changing consumption patterns, global market volatility, limited arable land, water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate change. Through integrated and inclusive approaches, the UAE seeks to build a more sustainable and resilient food system that guarantees long-term food security and leaves no one behind.
The document outlines 5 strategic directions, each one with expected outcomes, key performance indicators, and initiatives and activities as follows (1) facilitate global agri-business trade and diversify international food sources, aiming to ensure a secure, reliable, and cost-effective food supply by strengthening the UAE’s global food trade network and diversifying international sources. Key actions include developing competitive food trade infrastructure and logistics systems, establishing FoodTech Valley to attract strategic innovation partners and enhance food production, processing, and distribution, and promoting measures to maintain stable and affordable food prices; (2) enhance sustainable technology-enabled domestic food supply across the value chain, focusing on increasing domestic food production through innovation, technology adoption, and sustainable agricultural practices, to position the UAE as a global hub for food and agricultural technology. Main actions include developing aquaculture, implementing digital services for food businesses, upgrading farms through Agriculture 4.0 technologies, supporting small farmers through contract farming and Farming-as-a-Service models, expanding closed environment agriculture, and providing financing mechanisms to encourage investment, startups, and technology adoption; (3) reduce food loss and waste, seeking to eliminate food losses throughout supply chains and reduce domestic food waste through regulatory measures, recycling initiatives, and improved resource management. Actions include introducing regulations on food waste reduction, segregation, and reporting; establishing recycling and processing facilities for food and agribusiness waste; and expanding food bank networks to improve food redistribution and support vulnerable communities; (4) sustain food safety and improve nutritional intake, aiming to strengthen food safety standards and promote healthier dietary behaviors by using advanced technologies, improved regulations, and public awareness. Key measures include enhancing national food safety frameworks for locally produced and imported food, conducting targeted food safety awareness campaigns, and introducing nutrition standards, labeling requirements, and reliable public information platforms to encourage healthier consumption choices; (5) enhance capacity to respond to food security risks and crises, focusing on building a resilient food security system capable of anticipating, managing, and responding to emergencies and supply disruptions. Actions include monitoring strategic food, fodder, and water reserves; developing national preparedness and response protocols for food distribution and storage; establishing technology-enabled operational control centers; and training national personnel to manage critical food supply facilities during crises.