[October Free Report] Going Local in UAEby Tuvimanyu Gautam | 24-10-2023 22:27 |
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 It was during Covid-19 pandemic that UAE government began to focus its efforts on growing food and manufacturing goods for national consumption locally. The restrictions on movement of people and goods brought to fore the need to be self-sufficient in these areas. On agricultural front, the hot and dry climate of the region makes farming a challenging activity. This has been the reason for UAE¡¯s high dependence on imports. Hence, finding ways to grow fresh food was deemed necessary. It us with this view that UAE government encouraged the use of traditional farming practices as well as adoption of new technologies that help agriculture thrive in such climatic conditions. Thanks to govt encouragement to this sector, UAE has more than 38,000 farms now producing 156,000 tons of vegetables, 200,000 tons of fruits and 500 tons of field crops. The 2022 agricultural statistics show that approximately 20% of fruits and vegetables consumed now in UAE are grown locally. It is also observed that the availability of locally sourced products is on the rise in the supermarkets and increasingly used by hospitality industry. Growing local food aligns with the sustainable development goal of Food Security. It also contributes to reducing carbon footprint and energy emissions through lesser transportation need. UAE has enthusiastically adopted vertical and hydroponics as it relies on efficient use of water resources in growing food. Tomatoes and cucumbers from these farms have been a routine presence on supermarket shelves for last two years. Through research at International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), the agricultural scientists have been able to zero in on hardy crops like salicornia and quinoa which can be grown in saline soils of UAE. The aim is to increase domestic production of farm produce to contribute 50% of the total needs by 2023 end, and to full 100% by 2030. Government of UAE has given a conscious push to indigenous manufacturing industry through Make in the Emirates campaign and by creating an attractive value proposition for the manufacturers. UAE has a reliable source of energy, a world class information and communication technology infrastructure, a good domestic market and connectivity to international markets which makes it an attractive value proposition for manufacturing industry. UAE government¡¯s Operation 300 billion focuses on industrial manufacturing and aims to enhance its role in national economy. Renewable energy equipment, petrochemicals, plastics, heavy industries, machinery and electrical appliance industries are all being set up or expanded with a view to increase manufacturing domestically. By doing so, UAE is also looking to establish shorter supply chains, sustainable practices and reduce packaging waste which typically accompanies long distance transportation. Creation of jobs also supports local economy. Such measures align with United Nations Sustainability Development Goal 2 which encourages nations to build food security, Goal 8 which calls for sustainable development and Goal 9 which seeks sustainable industrialization. These would definitely go a long way in amplifying the progress march of the United Arab Emirates towards sustainability. |
