H.E. Engineer Mariam Saeed Hareb, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Water Resources and Nature Conservation Department, conducted a series of field visits in China, Japan and Taiwan to gain insights on best practices in the field of agriculture and aquaculture.
The tour is part of a technical cooperation signed by the Ministry with Horin Inc. which will contribute in promoting the use of modern techniques and innovations in the development of the UAE’s agricultural sector. During the visit, latest scientific studies in the field of fish farming and aquaculture was also observed.
H.E. Hareb emphasized that the Ministry is keen to develop the local agricultural sector as well as promote environmental sustainability and conserve natural resources. She pointed out that the UAE attaches great importance to the development of agriculture, water conservation practices and seeks sustainable solutions for living aquatic resources. It is doing it through enhanced cooperation with the scientific and technical organizations, universities and scientific research centers, and other agencies and institutions by sharing their experiences and success stories, and implementation of research and studies. In addition, the Ministry contributes in the development of various environmental sectors to achieve the objectives of the UAE Vision 2021.
Additionally, H.E Hareb said that the importance of cooperation at the local and international levels in various environmental fields will expedite learning process about the best practices and policies adopted that will enhance environmental sustainability. She further added that the Ministry is seeking to harness scientific research in various fields in order to find alternative and unconventional solutions to fulfill water needs for the agricultural sector, rationalize water consumption for the local population, and preserve the UAE’s water resources.
H.E. Hareb confirmed that the Ministry is looking to keep pace with advanced technologies and systems introduced to achieve sustainable development and contribute in providing new dimensions to the UAE’s agriculture and aquaculture sectors. It will also work to establish innovative concepts in the field of marine and agricultural research to serve the goals of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Marine Research Centre in Umm Al Quwain and the Agricultural Innovation Center in Al Dhaid, Sharjah.
Hareb also visited the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Science & Technology in Taiwan as well as the National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) which include 11 specialized institutes and the Horin Laboratory for Agriculture and Fisheries.
In addition, the Ministry’s delegation visited Japan to learn about the best practices and policies in the field of aquaculture in addition to learning about waste water standards and uses in Japan. She also visited Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to discuss potential collaboration topics in capacity building in the fields of aquaculture, fisheries and the marine environment. This all comes in the context of development and the protection of fish resources and the promotion of fish farming technology to encourage investment in the aquaculture industry as one of the world’s most important sectors.
The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water is active in its efforts to develop the agricultural sector, enhance the sustainability of living aquatic resources, and preserve fishes. It has opened in last December the Agricultural Innovation Center with an aim to attract and adopt innovations and agricultural techniques that works to promote agricultural development. Moreover, the establishment and operation of the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Centre for Marine Research in Umm Al Quwain is considered as one of the main pillars that will contribute to the development of fish farming in the UAE