Trade Maharashtra plans food security corridor with UAE The central Indian state of Maharashtra is working to develop a food security corridor with the UAE. The government of Maharashtra, which has 11 million farmers, has linked up with US fund manager Pegasus Capital Advisors for the food trade project. Under their agreement, the Maharashtra authorities will share an operational plan within three months, […] February 14, 2024
Food & Drink Air corridor for Abu Dhabi aims to support food security Abu Dhabi is planning to establish an air corridor for perishable goods in a bid to develop new trade routes and support the UAE’s food security efforts. Etihad Cargo, Abu Dhabi Airports and Abu Dhabi Food Hub – Kezad have signed a tri-party memorandum of understanding. Abu Dhabi Food Hub is the country’s first dedicated […] February 5, 2024
Analysis Agriculture UAE in talks to buy more African land to aid food security The UAE has 14 land acquisition deals in the pipeline, mainly in Africa, as it looks to keep food security high on its policy agenda. It has already signed 56 land agreements, with the first completed more than 50 years ago in Sudan. The 14 deals are subject to either an expression of interest, a […] January 31, 2024
Agriculture Egypt says wheat reserves sufficient for 4.2 months Egypt’s strategic wheat reserves are sufficient for 4.2 months, oil for 5.3 months, and sugar for 5.4 months, said minister of supply and internal trade Ali Al-Moselhi. He noted that about 100 tonnes of sugar had been produced from the cane crop so far and that preparations are under way to receive the beet crop […] January 29, 2024
Industry Oman’s wheat production surges 230% Wheat production in Oman surged by 229 percent to 7,119 tonnes during the harvest season of 2022-23. The total cultivation area reached 6,359 acres, an increase of 160 percent over the previous season, state-run Oman News Agency reported, citing data from the ministry of agriculture, fisheries and water resources. The number of wheat farmers also […] January 16, 2024
Agriculture $300m food processing complex planned for Egypt An entrepreneur has revealed plans to invest $300 million in an industrial agriculture and food complex in Egypt. Ahmed Abou Hashima has teamed up with partners from the US and Germany to lead the project through his Mafi for Agricultural Produce Industries company. He said strategic collaborations have been established with JBT and Cabin Plant, […] January 4, 2024
Analysis Industry Saudi seeks gold in the Aseer hills – for tourism and mining Hidden in the heart of Saudi Arabia’s largest mountain range, the Aseer province was largely unknown to the West until the 1950s. The region’s remoteness helped to preserve its distinctive culture, with early visitors offered crowns of red and orange blooms for sale by its so-called Flower Men. Today tourists are an important part of the […] December 21, 2023
Analysis Agriculture Cop28 funds pave the way for Mena agricultural innovation In 2022 Morocco suffered its worst drought in 40 years. It had a devastating impact on agricultural productivity – the country’s cereal production plunged by 60 percent and 280,000 jobs were lost. Thousands of miles to the east, motorists on the main road from the UAE to Oman see dead and dying palm trees on […] December 15, 2023
Sustainability Neom sets up company to work on Saudi food security Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion Neom giga-project has set up a food company to support the kingdom’s targets for food security and climate change mitigation. Topian, which is wholly owned by Neom, will work on food production, distribution and consumption across five pillars: climate-proof agriculture, regenerative aquaculture, novel foods, personalised nutrition and sustainable food supply. The […] December 11, 2023
Agriculture Agriculture investment fund doubles since Cop27 to $17bn Investment in a UAE and US-led global agriculture and food initiative has reached $17 billion, as the Cop 28 conference saw a slew of developments in the sector. The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (Aim for Climate) aims to address climate change and global hunger through increased investment in “climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation” […] December 10, 2023
Agriculture UAE companies to develop irrigation project in Morocco Dubai-based Metito Utilities and Tahliya Group, a UAE-based infrastructure company in Africa, have signed an agreement to develop an irrigation project using desalinated water in Morocco. The desalination projects will be powered by renewable energy, the companies said in a statement released during the Cop28 climate summit taking place in Dubai. No financial details on […] December 6, 2023
Sustainability Dairy companies vow to cut methane emissions Six of the world’s largest dairy companies will soon begin disclosing their annual methane emissions as part of a new global alliance launched at the Cop28 summit in Dubai on Tuesday. Nestlé, Danone, General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Bel Group and Lactalis will begin reporting their methane emissions by mid-2024 and will write action plans by […] December 5, 2023
Agriculture RedSea to dig further into Egypt’s agricultural market RedSea, an agtech business based in Saudi Arabia, is prioritising Egypt to transform the North African nation’s agricultural industry. The company has also announced the appointment of Bruno De Oliveira as vice president of Egypt and East Africa as a result of increasing customer demand for its products. RedSea has already installed heat-blocking roofing materials […] November 30, 2023
Industry Egypt’s agriculture sector gets $100m funding boost UAE-based Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) plans to invest $100 million into Egypt’s agricultural and livestock production sectors over the next three years, according to a local media report. The authority’s current investments in Egypt have reached $158 million, Egypt Today newspaper reported, citing chairman Mohamed Al Mazrooei. The significant investments include […] November 24, 2023
Agriculture UAE refreshes strategy to reduce food waste by 50% The UAE has launched an action plan to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, minister of climate change and environment Mariam Almheiri said. At Cop28, which will be hosted in Dubai later this month, the UAE is prioritising the transformation of food and agricultural systems. Earlier this year, the Emirate launched the Cop28 […] November 20, 2023
Finance Agtech in spotlight as Mena startup funding recovers Startup funding in the Mena region in October remained subdued on a year-on-year basis, but agtech is one of the areas set to shine. Mena startups raised $156 million in October, compared to $646 million raised in October 2022, but vastly up on the $36 million raised in September, according to data from Wamda, a […] November 17, 2023
Analysis Industry Future is rosy for Mena phosphate producers With Morocco and Saudi Arabia now holding the bulk of the world’s high-quality, accessible phosphate rock reserves, the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region is a major centre for the phosphate mining industry’s future growth, analysts say. Morocco alone holds around 70 percent of the world’s total reserves of phosphate rock, the raw material […] November 17, 2023
Industry French grain trader opens Saudi office to meet local demand InVivo will open a marketing office in Saudi Arabia early next year as it seeks to secure new outlets at a time of changing global grain demand, the French agribusiness group’s chief executive told Reuters. The office, to be based in the Saudi port of Damman, aims to secure grain supplies for Saudi feed makers, […] November 16, 2023
Industry India signs basmati export deals with Middle East buyers India has signed contracts to export about 500,000 metric tonnes of new season basmati rice to cash in on robust demand from top buyers in Europe and the Middle East, traders said on Wednesday. India annually exports more than four million tonnes of basmati – a premium long-grain variety famed for its aroma – to […] November 16, 2023
Agriculture Saudi unveils next-gen coffee farm as ambitions percolate Saudi Arabia has unveiled its first next-generation coffee farm in Jazan, home to the world-famous Coffea Arabica plant, as the kingdom looks to significantly increase production. Saudi Coffee Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, said the farm – spread across one million square metres – will act as a template for […] November 10, 2023
Development Saudi Arabia to invest $500m in African development Saudi Arabia is to sign agreements worth more than SAR2 billion ($533 million) with African nations to invest in development projects and help boost “Africa’s voice” in international affairs. “Today we’ll witness the signing of agreements between the Saudi Fund for Development and a number of African countries for projects exceeding 2 billion riyals,” the […] November 9, 2023
Opinion Agriculture Careful what you wish for… AI and the future of agriculture AI may transform farming – and destroy livelihoods. We must manage the transition for rural societies November 8, 2023
