By NNN-WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The UAE has taken practical steps to address world looming food crisis by aggressively investing in agriculture and livestock in countries with fertile agricultural lands, particularly Sudan, Egypt, India and Pakistan.
“These investments aim at providing most basic food items to cover local market needs. The UAE agricultural investments in this respect are the largest at the Arab level. It is so far investing 900, 000 fedans in many Sudanese states, notably Zayed Al Kheir Project, 40,000 fedans in Al Jezira state, where wheat, maize and fodders are planted,” said Mohammed Ahmed Abdul Aziz Al Shehi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, in an interview with Arabic Language local daily, Al Bayan on Wednesday.
He revealed that the ministry was currently conducting a study on strategic food reserve set to include 15 basic food items for local daily consumption, and sufficient for the UAE population consumption for six months, adding that such a reserve could be used at times of crisis or food gap.
Al Shehi noted that the food item imports in 2007 stood at AED52billion and expected to touch AED60 billion by 2011, adding that the ministry “is endeavouring to control prices through boosting economic liberalisation and enhancing competition without allowing monopoly”.
He reiterated that the agricultural investments came into light through joint understanding or agreements with these countries.
Al Shehi denied any risk could be faced by the UAE in regard to the strategic food reserve amid serious and fast steps to address pre-emptive procedures to deal with any food gap.
“The ministry strives to protect consumer and curb soaring prices locally, and it has effective initiatives in this direction, as well as combating negative phenomena in the market such as monopolisation and grouping. These efforts keeps the free economy on course and ensures exemplary balance of equation, though complicated, among consumer, the market, trader and national economy,” he said.
He indicated that shortage in agricultural crops worldwide and its repercussions has caused dramatic investment and economic changes in the UAE, particularly towards setting up the National Food Security Project. As a result, the UAE has taken practical steps to reduce any potential food gap by investing in some Arab and neighbouring countries.
Al Shehi added that these steps were taken to meet unfavourable natural and climatic weather in the UAE, which curbs growth of agricultural sector that could achieve self reliance.