FAO joins the Arab Conference for Investment in Food Security
12 November 2018, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is collaborating with and joining the 6th Arab Conference for Investment in Food Security taking place in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates on 14 – 15 November 2018.
The conference is under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, and organized by the Union of Arab Chambers.
The conference will highlight the importance of investing in “Smart Farming”, given that it has promising potential to achieve sustainable agriculture while overcoming the constraints of the limited resources and climate change in the Arab region.
Arab countries will be given the opportunity to discuss national strategies for smart farming and explore new opportunities to mobilize private investments to respond to the needs and priorities of achieving food security in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This year’s theme for the Arab Conference for Investment in Food Security is of utmost importance since the Arab region needs to grow enough food while using the least land area and the minimum quantity of water, and this is what smart farming will provide,” said Abdessalam Ould Ahmed, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for the Near East and North Africa (NENA).
During the conference, FAO’s intervention will vary between different topics under the umbrella of smart farming. The Organization will, for example, focus on the topics of investing in livestock as a driving force for food security, nutrition and sustainable development as well as the importance of private investment in food safety and quality to increase market access and the value of agricultural products. FAO will also highlight the global projects and pioneer agricultural initiatives of the United Arab Emirates.
FAO’s Director-General José Graziano da Silva is set to join the conference through a video message on the regional situation and the importance of public and private partnerships and investments for sustainable development.