Trends

UAE Encourages Food Industry to Participate in Global Water Dialogue

Published

16 seconds ago

October 9, 2026

Shorya

The UAE has welcomed food producers, agribusiness, and tech firms to join the high-level UN water security conversation this year ahead of the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi 2026.

The campaign underscores the intimate link between food production and freshwater resources, and leaders urged concrete measures for better utilization of water supplies and enhanced the resilience and food system.

During Global Food Week UAE 2026, His Excellency Abdulla Balalaa mobilized the food systems community to join the global water conversation, highlighting the critical connection between water and the future of food.https://t.co/RexZSW9hGj pic.twitter.com/wVxAv6Uttq
— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) October 8, 2026

Agriculture and Water Security in Focus

During the regional talks, such as in Global Food Week UAE, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Abdulla Balalaa underscored the importance of freshwater to agriculture.

The agriculture sector uses almost 70% of the freshwater resources and over 95% of the land based food is directly derived from freshwater. In today’s rapidly changing world and with a projected population of 9,7 billion by 2050, there is an increased need for improving resource efficiency.

Industry Invited to Present Solutions

The UAE is looking for businesses, researchers, investors and innovators to come in with solutions that can help cut water usage. Smart irrigation, drought tolerant crops, closed-loop irrigation, alternative proteins, cultivated foods and advanced cultivation of algae are priority spaces. Water risk management is also part and parcel of food processing, logistics and retail all in a broader framework of building resilient supply chains.

Abu Dhabi Conference Opens Opportunities

The UN Water Conference 2026 will be held in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (UAEinfants) in collaboration with the Kingdom of Senegal, from 8 to 10 December. The UAE-hosted Oasis Zone will be a space for innovators and investors to share their ideas and technologies and forge partnerships between food production and water management.

The Oasis is open for registration and free to attend via the official conference portal. The UAE is striving to support the future food needs, through encouraging cross-border partnership and industry-oriented best practices to tackle the water challenges.