UAE urges G20 nations to adopt climate-smart agricultural and food systems

Minister Mariam Al Mheiri says declaration on agriculture, food systems and climate is being prepared for Cop28

A combine harvester unloads barley into a tractor trailer during the harvest in Ailly-sur-Noye, France. Bloomberg

Mariam Al Mheiri, UAE Minister of State for Food Security, has urged G20 nations to sign a declaration supporting the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural and food systems that can address global food needs and contribute to eradicating world hunger.

Ms Al Mheiri, who is also Minister of Climate Change and Environment, on Friday said the UAE was preparing the declaration on agriculture, food systems and climate for the Cop28 summit.

The minister attended this week's G20 Agriculture Ministerial Meeting in Hyderabad, India.

"We discussed the most pressing issues on humanity from food security to climate change," Ms Al Mheiri wrote on Twitter.

"The current global food systems are the biggest contributors to biodiversity loss, deforestation, drought and freshwater pollution in the world, as well as being the second-largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions.

"The G20 could co-operate more on transforming the agricultural food systems, taking on that responsibility, and leading the world by reaching a consensus on transforming these systems as quickly as possible."

It is expected that food and water and how they are linked to climate change issues will be a key part of the Cop28 summit at Expo City Dubai from November 30 to December 12. There is also a day allocated to "food and water systems" in the draft thematic programme for the crucial talks.

Ms Al Mheiri said the UAE would focus "stimulating the global response to many issues arising from climate change, from food systems to clean energy and biodiversity".

"In this context, I invite the G20 member countries to join and sign a first-ever 'leaders declaration' on agriculture, food systems and climate, which the UAE is preparing for during Cop28," Ms Al Mheiri said.

"The declaration aims to mobilise global efforts to adopt climate-smart agricultural and food systems that can, at the same time, meet global food needs and contribute to eradicating world hunger."

Climate-smart agriculture is the name given to practices that are environmentally friendly and resilient.

In May, Dan Glickman, the US secretary of agriculture under President Bill Clinton, praised the UAE for its role in efforts to build more sustainable agricultural and food systems.

Mr Glickman said the UAE-US Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) was one example of how the Emirates was looking to develop greener, more sustainable agriculture solutions.

AIM for Climate was launched at Cop26 in Glasgow with billions of dollars now pledged by governments and private-sector bodies to make agriculture more environmentally friendly, sustainable and resilient to climate change.

Funds will go towards projects that can help to tackle climate change, prepare for its effects and help to lift people out of poverty. It seeks to boost the use of vertical farming, hydroponics and aquaculture with the UAE already using such technology. In May, India also pledged its support for AIM for Climate,

On the sidelines of the agriculture ministerial meeting, Ms Al Mheiri discussed, with several ministers, bilateral opportunities and topics such as food security.

Officials she spoke to included Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada's Minister of Agriculture, Roberto Serroni Perosa, Brazil's secretary of commerce and international relations in the Ministry of Agriculture; and Claudia Muller, parliamentary state secretary to the Minister of Food and Agriculture in Germany.

She also met Qu Dongyu, director general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation, and Alvaro Lario, president of the UN's International Fund for Agricultural Development.

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