Agriculture & Food
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2016
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The authorities in Abu Dhabi are seeking to develop the local agriculture and food-processing sector as part of wider efforts to improve food security and diversify the economy, with the emirate now emerging as an important regional food-processing center. Dates are Abu Dhabi’s most important crop and largest agricultural export by value, while there were 31 commercial livestock farms operating in Abu Dhabi in 2014, up from 26 a year before. Meanwhile, consumption of local produce grew at a compound annual growth rate of 28.4% between 2010 and 2013 in terms of volume, compared to 7.9% for the market as a whole.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Future harvest: The emirate is working to boost the efficiency and yield of the local food industry through a range of initiatives
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The Abu Dhabi authorities are seeking to develop the local agriculture and food-processing sector as part of wider efforts to improve food security and diversify the economy. They are also working to render activities in the sector more sustainable, particularly in terms of water usage. To this end the emirate is investing in the development of a range of new technologies and agricultural solutions, notably hydroponics and water-usage monitoring systems, while also helping farmers upgrade their irrigation…

Analysis

Securing the supply: Food security is an issue, and the government and private sector are deploying strategies to protect supply
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In light of its heavy reliance on food imports and limited supply of fertile land and fresh water, food security is a key issue for Abu Dhabi and one that has become more pressing in recent years. Its importance was under-scored by the rise in global food prices in 2007, which saw countries in the region work overtime to ensure supplies of some basic food commodities. In the aftermath of the 2007 crisis, the authorities took measures to bolster the emirate’s food security, including the establishment…