H.E Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, headed the Ministerial Session today (Tuesday) under the slogan “African Innovation Initiative”, on the closing day of the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture. GFIA is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs, with the official support of the Ministry of Environment and Water from 3 to 5 February, 2014 in Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The session included African ministers of Agriculture and Energy to discuss methods of facilitating the authentication of agricultural innovations and utilize them in increasing agricultural production
In his speech, Bin Fahad welcomed the audience, assuring the vitality of holding this session now to facilitate growth in agriculture and support its ability to cope with challenges of food security, and fight poverty in Africa and the world.
Bin Fahad said that agriculture is amongst the most important developing sectors in Africa. Farming lands represent 39 per cent of the continent's area and more than half its residents rely on agriculture for their living. A percentage surpassing by far any other region or area across the world, as indicated by annual statistics of 2013, issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO, keeping in mind the diversity of Africa's regions compared to other regions in the world.
Bin Fahad noted that despite the significance of the agricultural sector, its contribution in terms of gross total income is still under 33 per cent, which is lower than the sector's consumption of resources, and reflects the low rate of agricultural productivity, as the average production per hectare of grains is 1.2 tons in Africa, compared to three tons in developing countries in total.
Increasing agricultural productivity is one of the biggest challenges of the sector in Africa now and in the future, especially within the negative effects of climate change, headed by fluctuations in rain, added Bin Fahad. For example, the largest percentage of agriculture in Africa is pluvial farming, therefore we can realize the major challenge the sector is facing in Africa and the obstacles it may undergo if we do not take proper procedures, as soon as possible to adapt to these changes. It is good reminder to remember that the estimates of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC indicate that climate change may reduce the outcomes of crops relying on rainfalls by 50% in some African countries.
Deploying modern techniques, innovations and agricultural practices in various stages of production represent a vital element in the applicable packet of solutions, in order to fix the decrease of production of the agricultural sector, especially that most farming lands in Africa are distributed on small farming properties.
The UAE has realized the significance of deploying modern techniques and relying on innovation in developing various growing sectors, amongst which is agriculture, noted Bin Fahad. However, we also realized that innovation alone will not achieve our goals, unless it is part of a major and comprehensive correction of agricultural policies in Africa, as well as other supporting policies, such as providing suitable climates for investment, relying on concepts of transparency and governing, increasing finance of scientific research, building capabilities and achieving agricultural integration between countries of Africa.
It is vital for the agricultural innovation initiative we are gathered here today for, to be part of a comprehensive strategy to develop the agriculture sector in Africa, enhance its ability to respond to increasing future challenges, and enable it to play its role as an engine for growth in Africa, which countries suffered for long time rough political, economic and social circumstances.
It is a suitable time to note that green economy can be adopted as a strategy to contribute in closing the production hole between Africa and other countries of the world. The UN program on environment assures in its report on green economy that green agricultural practices can remarkably increase crops, especially in small farms.
Bin Fahad said, "We believe that rectifying the agricultural sector in Africa will not be reflected positively on political, economic and social situation in Africa alone, but will also include the whole world, especially that a lot of farming lands in Africa, which have not been exploited properly till now, such as Savanna region in Guinea, which is almost double the area of wheat farmed lands in the world".
Concluding his speech, Bin Fahad stated that the UAE is honored to host this discussion, and reassure its support for all efforts seeking to develop the agricultural sector in Africa.
We hope that the Sheikh Zayed Prize for Pioneering Innovation in Agriculture, announced by the UAE in the opening of the discussion yesterday, a motive to support scientific research in agriculture and food security, and lead to more innovations in agriculture, both in Africa and worldwide.
Additionally, and during its participation in the exhibition accompanying the Global Conference of Innovations in Agriculture, the ministry displayed its practices and initiatives in agricultural and zoological sectors. The ministry participated in a podium displaying its initiatives and accomplishments in the agricultural sector and modern techniques. The podium displayed a documentary film on these initiatives, including "Halalna," "Our Palm Trees" and "Our Organic Products" initiatives.
The ministry demonstrated the technique of cultivating provender wheat, which is an innovative farming method to produce green provender in closed agricultural systems using small amounts of water and without any pesticides. The technique can produce provender in any place regardless of the land's capabilities for farming. It also reduces water consumption by 90% compared to traditional farming. The technique also insures availability of provender all year long, in wanted quantities for animal sources, due to its high productivity in a short time, within no more than 7 days. Each kilogram of these grains produces 6 to 9 kilograms of green provender within one week.
The ministry also demonstrated the technique of drying dates, adopted by using glass rooms, in which shelves are placed for drying dates, in order to increase production quality and competitiveness in the local and global markets. The technique reduces losses in dates, usually occurring in traditional drying techniques. It also protect the production from contamination and climate conditions, preserves the nutritional ingredients of date, reduce operating costs by using solar power in drying, and is distinguished by the small area the glass house take, which is 25 square meters. The technique decreases the time taken to dry dates, which is 4 to 7 days as per the category and maturity. The ministry also demonstrated its technique on hydroponic culture, which replaces soil with liquid or hard mediums. The method reduces water consumption in agricultural production, adds modern techniques into local production and reduces the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, as well as it is available all year long.
The ministry displayed its initiative for organic farming "Organic", which contributes in preserving the natural ecologic system by producing chemicals and pesticides free vegetable and fruits.
Regarding "Our Palm Trees" initiative, which aims to develop efforts of fighting palm trees pests, analyze database of numbers of palm trees, and improve economic contribution of palms and dates production to the local income, the ministry displayed one of its latest techniques, a device designed for early detection of the red palm tree weevil. Visitors of the podium leaned about photocells used in photocell traps. The photocells reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint, which contribute in achieving UAE Green Growth Strategy.
The ministry's support to the meeting and participation in its accompanying exhibition, reflects its efforts to achieve strategic goals for improving food security, raise rates of vital security, achieve goals of sustainable development and focus on integration of modern techniques in agriculture, for its significance in boosting agricultural production, as well as preserving principles of sustainability by sharing knowledge and benefiting from expertise and practices of other countries in the agricultural sector.
H.E Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad’s speech was delivered on behalf of H.H Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed. Dr. Bin Fahd then cut the traditional ribbon and toured the exhibition accompanied by HE Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Minister of International Co-operation and Development, H.E Rashid Mubarak Al Hajri, Delegated Member and Member of ADFCA, and HE Rashid Al Shariqi, General Manager of ADFCA.
During the tour of H.E Dr. Bin Fahad, H.E Eng, Saif Al Shara’, Assistant Undersecretary for Agricultural and Livestock Affairs from the Ministry of Environment and Water, explained the achievements of the ministry in the agricultural sector and latest farming techniques demonstrated in the ministry's podium.