Abu Dhabi to host leading agriculture forum

ABU DHABI, UAE - The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA), held under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nayhan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs of the UAE, is bringing together leading innovators, investors, food producers, retailers, governments, scientists, NGOs and agricultural organisations for the first time in one location. The pioneering event seeks to highlight the sustainable agriculture initiatives and innovations being planned and deployed across the world to increase food security and safeguard future sources of home-grown food, particularly in regions characterised by water shortages and unfertile land.

Touted as the world’s largest showcase of game-changing innovations in sustainable agriculture, the forum is to be held in Abu Dhabi from 3-5 February 2014, under the theme ‘Driving Innovation for an Agricultural Revolution.’

“The Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture will present the world’s largest collection of sustainable agriculture inventions and pool together the highest level of experts, investors and suppliers to show the world how big ideas can be used to boost food production and solve the world's ever increasing food needs,” said GFIA project director Mark Beaumont.

“The GFIA agenda was designed by a steering committee of 20 international experts in the fields of academia, R&D, science, industry and investment. We will showcase over 150 innovations from over 45 countries as part of the programme, which we hope will create lasting change in the way agriculture is practiced,” he said.

The event will be held in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority. Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority’s director of Communication and Community Service, commented on the relevance of the event for the UAE and the region: “The leadership of the UAE has placed the full weight of its resources and political will behind taking a leading role in the movement to design and implement sustainable agricultural initiatives in arid and semi-arid regions.

“Our goal is to unite the Middle East behind sustainable solutions for food security and to harness new technologies for our desert landscape. GFIA is key to facilitating knowledge transfer and to demonstrating the investment opportunities available to regional and international stakeholders,” said Mr Al Rayssi.
Dr Faisal Awawdeh, regional coordinator of The International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), comments: “This confAir Max 1 Mid Liberty Max Kicks