UAE minister says overhaul of food systems needed to wipe out world hunger

Figures show more than 800 million people are facing hunger

A woman cooks food at a camp for internally displaced people in Nigeria, where at least 13 million are going hungry. AP

An overhaul of global food systems is needed to eradicate world hunger, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment has said.

Mariam Al Mheiri was speaking at the first day of Gulfood 2022, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre until February 17.

She said that the transformation was necessary to ensure people could have access to safe, adequate and affordable food.

Worldwide, about 811 million people are facing hunger, with one in three people denied access to adequate food due to conflict, climate change and the impact of the global pandemic.

Ms Al Mheiri said that the process of addressing world hunger must be inclusive, innovative and data-driven to help develop policies that would boost food supply and eradicate food insecurity.

She said that the UAE was leading the way by investing heavily in agtech, including the Food Tech Valley, which looks at pioneering agriculture solutions using technology.

These methods have been proven especially beneficial for arid climates such as the UAE.

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