• His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq: The UAE has established itself as a leading model in food security as a constant strategic priority in the development process.
• Specialized discussions will review the building of a unified national system for agricultural data and the use of advanced technologies to enhance resource efficiency and support food security.
• Knowledge sessions exploring ways to build a more efficient and sustainable agricultural system through the use of artificial intelligence and enabling academic innovation.
• The "University Hackathon" supports the empowerment of young national talents and links education and innovation to the needs of the agricultural sector.

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates :   The first day of the second edition of the "UAE Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026," held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, highlighted the importance of developing the national agricultural data system and expanding the use of artificial intelligence technologies to support the agricultural sector. This will enhance resource management efficiency, support decision-making, and contribute to establishing a more resilient and sustainable food security system in the UAE. The first day also saw the launch of the university hackathon, aimed at supporting agricultural innovation and empowering young Emirati talent.

In his keynote address, His Excellency Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, affirmed that the UAE, under the vision of its wise leadership, is forging ahead in establishing itself as a leading model in food security. This is based on the integration of roles between government and private entities and the unification of national efforts to enhance the country's preparedness to face global changes impacting the agriculture and food sectors. His Excellency explained that the conference serves as a vital national platform for envisioning the future of food security, exchanging expertise, learning about best practices, and exploring the latest technological solutions and artificial intelligence applications that support the development of an advanced infrastructure for the sector. This, in turn, contributes to increasing the efficiency of local production and building effective strategic partnerships.

His Excellency noted that the UAE's food sector is achieving remarkable growth indicators, supported by an advanced legislative and regulatory framework aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of Emirati food industries, stimulating investment, attracting companies, supporting business establishment and growth, and empowering small businesses and integrating them into value chains. He also emphasized the importance of adopting advanced technology and artificial intelligence as two fundamental pillars for the transition to a data-driven economy, which enhances production efficiency and sustainability and supports decision-making. His Excellency highlighted the Ministry's strategic initiatives to localize supply chains, reduce food waste, develop logistical solutions, and create job opportunities in the coming years.

Data is at the heart of the food, energy, and water equation.

The discussions on the first day were in line with the strategic vision of the UAE Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026, which is organized by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment under the slogan "A comprehensive Emirati agricultural platform... towards community sustainability and global innovation," as a national platform that brings together knowledge dialogue, exchange experiences and develop practical solutions to support the transition towards a climate-smart, more efficient and sustainable agricultural system.

In this context, a dialogue session entitled “ Forecasting the Future of the Food-Water-Energy System: One System, Unified Governance, One Goal ” was held, during which His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Humaid Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Department of Energy – Abu Dhabi, spoke, and which was moderated by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Food Diversity Sector at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, discussed the increasing importance of data and artificial intelligence in enhancing the interconnection between vital sectors related to food security, foremost among them water, energy and food, with a focus on raising the efficiency of the use of natural resources in the agricultural sector.

His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Hamid Al Jarwan affirmed: “The regulatory framework represents the link and the axis of integration to achieve sustainability in the ‘food – energy – water’ system,” pointing to the importance of setting clear national goals that define the strategic needs of the state, in addition to adopting an integrated strategy that enables the achievement of these targets, supported by precise standards for measuring performance.

His Excellency emphasized that the successful deployment of advanced technologies, particularly artificial intelligence applications, hinges on the availability of accurate and reliable data, stressing that the absence of data renders technological applications ineffective. He called for the unification of data across various stakeholders, from government agencies and farmers to companies, research centers, and traders, within a unified system that contributes to the optimal use of resources and promotes sustainability.

A national agricultural data system that supports planning and production

The first day also featured a session titled " National Agricultural Data – From Data Collection to Decision Making, " which addressed the importance of developing a unified national agricultural data system linking data on crops, livestock, and water and soil quality. This system would support more accurate decision-making in planning, resource management, and enhancing national production. The session was moderated by Her Excellency Amal Abdulrahim, Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services and Chief Executive Officer of Artificial Intelligence and Innovation at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. Participants included His Excellency Engineer Ahmed Khaled, Executive Director of the Agricultural Affairs Sector at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority; Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi; and Her Excellency Dr. Aisha Ahmed Bushlaibi, Director of Al Dhaid University.

The participants in the session affirmed that data represents a fundamental pillar in developing the agricultural sector, supporting decision-making, and enhancing food security objectives in accordance with the National Food Security Strategy 2051. They emphasized the importance of building an integrated system that ensures the flow and accuracy of data and its efficient use in resource management, raising planning efficiency, and achieving economic savings, in addition to expanding its use by empowering farmers and strengthening partnerships between governmental, private, and academic entities, which contributes to supporting innovation and qualifying national competencies capable of leading the future of the agricultural sector.

Agricultural research and development in the age of artificial intelligence

The second session, titled "Agricultural Research and Development in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," highlighted ways to leverage AI technologies to enhance agricultural research methodologies, accelerate innovation, and translate scientific output into practical, real-world solutions. Participants included Dr. Fikri Kharbash, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at the United Arab Emirates University; Dr. Shamal Abdulkhaleq Mohammed, CEO of the Innovation Oasis at Salal Group; and Hassan Halawi, General Manager of Elite Agro Holding Group. The session was moderated by Sultan Al Shamsi, Director of the National Agricultural Center.

The discussions focused on the advanced capabilities of artificial intelligence in data analysis, productivity forecasting, improved resource management, and the development of innovative solutions to address rapidly evolving agricultural and food challenges. The session also highlighted the importance of partnership and collaboration models between universities, innovation centers, the private sector, and other stakeholders to ensure that research and development is directed toward the sector's actual needs and achieves a tangible impact that enhances production efficiency and sustainability.

Participants in the session emphasized the importance of investing in training and empowering national talent to utilize artificial intelligence applications in the agricultural sector. They noted the growing interest among students from various disciplines in this field, reflecting an increasing awareness of its future importance. They also stressed that data represents a genuine wealth of knowledge for students and companies, offering opportunities to develop innovative solutions that address the challenges facing the agricultural sector. They emphasized the need to establish a public and user-friendly database within a clear regulatory framework for information, alongside strengthening integration between the academic and agricultural sectors, as well as between companies and farms, to support more accurate and efficient decision-making.

University hackathons are a platform for empowering young national talents.

Within the educational track of the conference, the first day also witnessed the launch of the University Hackathon (Farm to Market Innovation Challenge), which embodies one of the applied axes aimed at linking academic knowledge with real challenges in the agricultural and food sector, and motivating students to develop innovative solutions that support local products and keep pace with future needs.

The university hackathon reflects the strategic direction towards investing in young national talents, to contribute to formulating innovative practical solutions that support smart agricultural transformation, in line with its goals aimed at enabling agricultural education, promoting a culture of innovation, and preparing a new generation of researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs capable of contributing to building a more efficient, flexible and sustainable national food system.

Her Excellency Engineer Amal Abdulrahim, Assistant Undersecretary for Support Services and Chief Executive Officer of Artificial Intelligence and Innovation at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said: “The UAE adopts a proactive approach in facing global challenges by designing innovative solutions capable of turning crises into opportunities that support sustainability and enhance readiness for the future. From this standpoint, the University Hackathon comes as a qualitative platform to harness the energies of young people and direct them towards creating practical solutions that support the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy 2051. It is not just a space for theoretical training, but rather constitutes a real window for practical application, through which the winning ideas move to the incubation and development stages, ensuring that their impact reaches the field and directly supports farmers and the agricultural sector.”

Her Excellency added: “We are confident that this generation, capable of employing artificial intelligence and understanding the profound transformations in supply chains, is not a generation that observes from afar, but a generation that innovates and leads, and forms a new national extension to protect our food security and consolidate its sustainability.”

Knowledge-based content that reinforces the conference's strategic objectives.

The sessions of the first day focused on the strategic objectives of the UAE Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026, foremost among them being empowering the agricultural sector through knowledge, data, innovation, and institutional partnerships, so as to continue to consolidate its role as a leading national platform to support the development of the agricultural and food sector in the UAE, and to enhance integration between knowledge, innovation, policies, and partnerships, in order to serve the country’s objectives in food security, sustainability, and leadership in agricultural innovation.

The UAE Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026 continues to consolidate its role as a leading national platform to support the development of the agricultural and food sector in the UAE, and to promote integration between production, manufacturing, investment and innovation, in order to serve the country’s objectives in food security and sustainability and to build a more resilient and competitive food economy.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment invites all interested members of the community to register and participate in this leading national event through the following link: https://emiratesagriculture.ae/visitor-registration

The agenda, events, and workshops for the event can also be accessed via the following link: https://emiratesagriculture.ae/conference

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