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During the same debate, Mohamed Salman Alhammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for Food Diversity at the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said that the UAE currently imports 80% of the food it consumes and aims to reduce this to 50% of its consumption by 2051 through increased production within its territory. To overcome the climate challenges facing the country, he said, the UAE has invested in technology, such as vertical farms, which have productivity up to one hundred times greater than traditional farming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brazilian agriculture ministry representatives on the panel, Marcel Moreira, Director of Trade Promotion and Investment, and Rodrigo Lopes de Almeida, Coordinator of Degraded Area Recovery and Reforestation, noted that Brazil has strict environmental legislation but still has space and opportunities to expand its arable land without deforesting vegetation areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They said that the Brazilian territory has about 250 million acres of degraded pastures, of which 100 million acres, if recovered, could achieve high productivity levels. This is a federal government program involving the agriculture ministry and others. \u201cIt is possible to double Brazil\u2019s agricultural production without deforestation by using these areas. We need partners, though,\u201d said Moreira, noting that the country\u2019s Ministry of Finance is expected to allocate BRL 1 billion (USD 180,000) this year for pasture recovery. Lopes mentioned that the agriculture ministry is mapping all the areas to seek investments thereafter. \u201cBrazil can be a provider of food security, but with partnerships, we can become an even more robust producer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Work depends on Brazil and UAE<\/strong>‘s academy, governments, and businesses<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe second panel of the meeting, titled \u201cThe Importance of R&D in Sustaining Agriculture and Food Systems,\u201d was dedicated to evaluating how businesses, governments and the academy can work together to find solutions to the challenges facing agriculture and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acting Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Mohammed Abdul Mohsen Al-Yafi, said many transformations in agriculture are to be expected over the next 50 years and that solutions that are useful today, such as the use of genetically modified foods, may not be sufficient in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this panel, participants also mentioned that technology, new varieties of fruits and vegetables will be crucial to ensure food production in the future. They noted that current soybean varieties may not survive climate changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acting Executive Director of Development and Innovation at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Aref Abdul Wahid Clinter, said that it is necessary to share the existing knowledge, but a current issue in the UAE is patent ownership. Both researchers and governments, as well as companies, advocate for the ownership of technologies and solutions to field challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The head of Brazil\u2019s agricultural research agency Embrapa Environment, Paula Packer, also participated in the meeting. She highlighted challenges such as sustainability in agriculture, bioeconomy\u2014which encompasses the sustainable production of energy, food, materials, and chemicals\u2014and pasture recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brazilian and Emirati meat and fruit companies also showcased their products and processes at the meeting. After the forum, a B2B meeting was held between Brazilian and Arab companies. The event also featured Julio Ramos, Deputy Secretary for Commerce and International Relations at Brazil\u2019s agriculture ministry; Rubens Hannun, a member of the Advisory Council and former president of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce<\/strong> (ABCC<\/a>); Fernanda Baltazar and Estev\u00e3o Carvalho, Directors of Institutional Relations and New Business at the ABCC, respectively; Mohamed Zoghbi, President of the Fambras Halal certifier; and Jo\u00e3o Paulo Paix\u00e3o, Chief Representative in Brazil of the Dubai Chambers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRead more:
<\/em>Mercosur-UAE agreement set to conclude in November<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nTranslated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n
Read more: Translated by Guilherme Miranda<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/em>Mercosur-UAE agreement set to conclude in November<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n