Abu Dhabi, 4 July 2024:

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the third edition of Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Security Week (ADAFSW) will take place from November 26 to 28, 2024, at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). The event will witness extensive international participation from policymakers and leading global companies specializing in the sector

Organised by ADNEC Group in collaboration with ADAFSA and the Food and Beverage Manufacturers Group (FBMG) as the Knowledge Partner, ADAFSW will feature a series of specialised exhibitions and conferences, including the third edition of ADIFE 2024, the tenth edition of ADDPE 2024, and the inaugural Global Food Security Summit. The summit is expected to attract a distinguished gathering of government officials, policymakers, leading experts, and specialists to discuss ways to advance the present and future of this vital sector. The week's activities will also include a number of new accompanying events to showcase the latest global technologies in agriculture and food production.

His Excellency Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, affirmed that the current edition of ADAFSW embodies the keenness of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ADAFSA to strengthen food security at both local and global levels and support sustainable economic development.

During a press conference to announce the week's events, His Excellency added: "ADAFSW 2024 embodies Abu Dhabi's unwavering commitment to enhancing global food security. It will solidify the emirate's position as a leading global centre for innovation in agriculture and food security, attract foreign investment to the sector, and open up new horizons for international trade."

Al Ameri pointed out that the Global Food Security Summit, held for the first time in the capital Abu Dhabi, is one of the week's most prominent events. It will bring together a distinguished group of senior government officials, policymakers, and food security experts from around the world to discuss the challenges facing this vital sector and develop innovative solutions. This will position the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a centre for decision-making and shaping the future of global food security.

His Excellency extended a warm invitation to all stakeholders in the agriculture and food security sector to attend the week's events, benefit from the opportunities it offers, and contribute to achieving sustainable development goals.

For his part, His Excellency Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, affirmed the group's unwavering commitment to supporting all national efforts aimed at advancing the present and future of the agriculture and food security sector, which is a cornerstone of building a diversified and sustainable competitive economy.

He pointed out that ADNEC's keenness to support this sector stems from its belief in the vision of the wise leadership to achieve food security for the next 50 years, and Abu Dhabi's role as the capital of creativity and innovation in these vital sectors.

He added: "The agenda of ADAFSW includes a package of leading global exhibitions in the food and food security sector, most notably the third edition of ADIFE 2024, the tenth edition of ADDPE 2024, and the inaugural Global Food Security Summit. These combined events aim to keep pace with national programmes that ensure food abundance within an integrated food security system by showcasing the latest technologies and innovative applications to enhance sustainable food production. " Al Dhaheri explained that the third edition of ADIFE, held alongside ADAFSW, is witnessing record growth rates compared to the previous edition.

Saleh Lootah, Chairman of FBMG, expressed his pride in the strategic partnership with ADAFSA and ADNEC to organise the inaugural Global Food Security Summit, which will take place over two days in conjunction with ADAFSW, on 26 and 27 November.

He added that the summit will include several themes and discussion sessions that will attract a select group of government officials, decision-makers, experts, and specialists from around the world to discuss the most prominent challenges facing this vital sector and find innovative solutions that contribute to reducing hunger.

Dr. Abdul Wahab Zayed, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, emphasised the pivotal role of ADDPE in highlighting the importance of dates in the national economy of producing countries, as well as being a cornerstone in the food security equation. He also noted that the exhibition enhances Abu Dhabi's position as the capital of dates and an international platform for the development and promotion of this sector. The tenth edition of the exhibition in 2024 is expected to host more than 100 pavilions representing 25 date-producing countries by providing support and facilities for major date farmers, producers, and importers. ADDPE serves as an ideal opportunity for networking and engagement among date suppliers from around the world, all within the United Arab Emirates.

ADAFSW provides a global platform to showcase the latest innovations in food production, in addition to forging partnerships and exploring investment opportunities in this vital sector.

The week's events are expected to announce many contracts, deals, and partnership agreements signed by government institutions and private sector entities, and sign more of them during this edition’s events, as well as organise a series of bilateral meetings between buyers and sellers in supply chains.

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