DUBAI, 26th April, 2019 (WAM) – The Emirates Council for Food Security announced the approval of the establishment of the “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” project to address the potential negative effects of climate change and global warming on food systems in the country, with the aim of developing a tool in the coming months to support national food security.
The system provides valuable data that allows informed decisions on appropriate procedures and areas of investment. The “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” is part of the country’s commitment to support the vision and goals of the leaders’ climate summit that was held on April 22-23, which US President Joe Biden invited the UAE to attend alongside leaders Representatives of 40 countries.
The establishment of the “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” comes in line with the “Agricultural Climate Innovation Initiative” that was launched during the speech of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, at the summit with the aim of intensifying and accelerating innovation efforts. Global research and development in all aspects of the agricultural sector over the next five years to mitigate and adapt to the repercussions of climate change.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and the UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, said: We congratulate the Emirates Council for Food Security for launching the “Climate Change Impact Measurement System”, which constitutes an important contribution to enhancing the UAE’s capabilities in the field of food security by establishing an effective system. For innovation and smart investment, this initiative also represents a distinct example of the contribution of climate action to enhancing economic growth by creating new skills and job opportunities. The agriculture and food sector is one of the most promising sectors that can achieve a great economic return for the UAE and the world. The impact of climate change “will enhance our competitiveness and contribute to food security.
For her part, Her Excellency Maryam Bint Muhammad Saeed Hareb Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Food and Water Security and President of the Emirates Council for Food Security, said: Climate change has become the most pressing issue facing the international community and urgent measures are needed to address this urgent issue that threatens many aspects of sustainable development, and Food systems are an integral part of the system we deal with climate change, as these systems are among the largest contributors to the phenomenon of climate change and are one of the largest affected by it.
Her Excellency added: The system for measuring the impact of climate change will support the UAE’s efforts to achieve the objectives of the Agricultural Innovation Climate Initiative and contribute to creating a global model for enhancing food security in a way that serves global climate goals, by creating productive and efficient sustainable food systems that reduce the use of natural resources and resources. Dirty energy, we can reduce the contribution of the agricultural sector to the phenomenon of climate change, which in turn will lead to a shift towards more resilient and sustainable food systems in the world.
On her part, Dr. Tarifa Al Zaabi, Acting Director-General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), said: The development of adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change as well as innovations supported by evidence-based research are critical to sustainable agriculture and food security in marginal environments that suffer greatly from the impact of Climate change Therefore, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) develops advanced decision support tools and provides them to various countries to assist in national efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
Al-Tarifi added that ICBA also contributes to developing capacity at the country level in the field of climate change modeling and drought monitoring. These innovative tools play an important role in identifying and measuring the potential impacts of future climate conditions on water resources and agricultural systems. Therefore, they provide a solid basis for appropriate decision-making on strategies. Adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change, in addition to identifying the best plans and supporting management and investment policies. To ensure better results, we emphasize the importance of the role of the main partners and beneficiaries in developing and adopting such tools at the local, regional and international levels.
The “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” is based on the importance of understanding the potential impacts of climate change on food production in the UAE and in various countries facing the same conditions. It is based on facts that confirm the global temperature has increased by 0.33 degrees Celsius per decade since 1971. That the earth’s temperature increases between 2 ° C and 5 ° C by the end of this century.
The system will examine the best ways to combat heat stress on agricultural crops, which affects protected and closed farming systems such as green houses, where climate changes lead to increased energy and water consumption and lower crop quality.
It is noteworthy that the National Food Security Strategy has identified technologies and applications of closed agricultural systems as a catalyst for promoting innovation-based production and promoting growth in local production of major food products.
The “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” will rely on current data and metrology, among other things, to evaluate and formulate a logarithm that predicts the potential impacts of current and future climate changes that will benefit investors, farmers and government agencies through 3 main areas, namely improving the accuracy of economic feasibility studies for potential agricultural projects. In the UAE, through a better assessment of the variations in future operating costs affected by climate change, which will affect the main cost centers, including water consumption, types of materials used in agricultural systems, maintenance requirements and energy consumption.
As for the second area, it is contributing to the selection of the most appropriate application within the closed and protected agricultural techniques in a manner consistent with the current and future climatic characteristics of the site and the area in which the project will be implemented. This will reduce the project risks and ensure that the system is compatible with climatic conditions throughout the project’s life cycle. The third area is Enhancing the farmer’s understanding of the main resource requirements for the implementation of their agricultural projects, including water volumes, energy quantities, expertise and qualifications required for human cadres.
Over the next three years, the “Climate Change Impact Measurement System” will rely heavily on local and international tools to create analysis and prediction models compatible with the frameworks of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through the Modeling System for the Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture known as MOSAICC. It is an integrated set of criteria that allow users to assess the impact of climate change on agriculture. It is also expected to search for more international expertise and knowledge from research centers, scientific institutions and universities abroad.
Local experiences will be acquired from government agencies and relevant educational institutions, which focus on methods of food production based on innovation and modern technology.
The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in the Emirate of Dubai plays a major role in activating the objectives of the “Climate Change Impact Measurement System”, as ICBA is a non-profit agricultural research center focused largely on producing crops that can thrive in marginal environments. 2010 “ICBA” adapted the models to local conditions in the UAE, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Lebanon, giving it exceptional experience in creating agricultural models in difficult environments.
Source: https://www.alkhaleej24news.com/en/2021/04/emirates-news-agency-emirates-food-security-approves-the-establishment-of-a-climate-change-impact-measurement-system-to-promote-the-transition-towards-sustainable-food-systems-2.html
