How the UAE is leading the fight against global hunger

How the UAE is leading the fight against global hunger

It is facilitating global food trade, diversifying food import sources, and identifying alternative supply schemes.

By Ehtesham Shahid Published: Tue 30 Aug 2022, 9:04 PM Last updated: Tue 30 Aug 2022, 9:38 PM

Looks can be deceptive when it comes to food security. A casual walk across food bays in the region’s supermarkets can give a sense of sufficiency, even excess. But beneath the overflowing counters lies a stark reality – lack of complete control over highly import-dependent food sources. The MENA region has some of the world’s highest levels of food insecurity.

The good news is we are aware of the challenge. More importantly, long-term approaches are taking root. For instance, the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 transcends local and regional food security objectives. It aims to achieve zero hunger worldwide by facilitating global food trade, diversifying food import sources, and identifying alternative supply schemes.

Several such initiatives are keeping things in control across the region, hoping to enhance efficiency further. But there are also countries where a moderate hunger level can spiral into major street protests. The World Bank 2020 report puts MENA’s share of the global acutely food insecure people at 20 per cent, while it has only 6 per