Official visits of Director-General of IOFS in Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Director-General of IOFS, H.E. Yerlan Baidaulet continued his official visit from Dubai to Abu Dhabi where he had a series of meetings along with his colleague the Director-General and CEO of International IFPA, Sheikh Bilal Khan. The meetings were graciously hosted by H.E. Ambassador Madiyar Menilbekov at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan where they had meetings with some of the leading quasi-government/private sector agri-food businesses of the UAE such as Jenaan, Al Dahra Holding, Emirates Food Industries which form part of the UAE Food Security Alliance and who offer integrated access to the entire value chain. The discussions covered all of the strategic programs of IOFS but most notably the engagement with the IOFS's subsidiary, International IFPA. The parties briefed each other on their respective strategic focus and the various potential avenues of collaboration including becoming members and/or partners of International IFPA and forming a wider alliance in specific regions of mutual interest across the IOFS/OIC markets.

H.E. Yerlan Baidaulet and Sheikh Bilal Khan followed up their day's meetings in Abu Dhabi with a series of site visits to various farms in Al Ain on the recommendation of H.E. Minister Mariam Al Mheiri especially the high tech farms operated under the management of Elite Agro who are writing a new green history on the sands of UAE including large scale commercial farming; agricultural land development and reclamation; post-harvest management; trading, distribution and logistics and research and development with the pleasant surprise of having the opportunity to witness and taste the potentially record-breaking world's largest organic blueberries and other organic produce. 

The official visit will continue to Dubai.