By Muin Abdul Majid, NNN-Bernama,
Dubai : Dubai is keen to co-operate with the eatsern Malaysian state of Sabah in the agriculture sector as part of a broader objective to secure food supplies amid concerns over rising food prices in the emirate and in the Middle East as a whole.
This was conveyed during a meeting between members of a Sabah trade and investment mission and the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry here recently. Dubai Chamber general adviser Nizar Sardast described the climate in Sabah as suitable for agricultural activities.
“Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Arab countries in general are looking at ways to address the issue of food supply and I think, perhaps, we can co-operate in this field. The matter should be considered seriously,” he told the Sabah delegation, led by Wong Khen Thau, president of the Federation of Sabah Manufacturers.
Reports indicate that the UAE and its emirates are taking a slew of measures to improve their food security. Abu Dhabi, for example, plans to develop 30,000 hectares of farmland in Sudan, Africa’s biggest country, in a strategy to improve food security in the emirate.
The UAE is also pursuing investments in farms and other agricultural business projects in Egypt in an attempt to secure strategic food reserves.