The UAE is becoming an emerging hub for AgriFood innovation, and our recent trip to Dubai and Abu Dhabi reinforced just how pivotal the region is becoming in the global AgriFoodTech landscape. Over the course of several days, we had the privilege of engaging with forward-thinking stakeholders and attending landmark events that showcased the GCC’s commitment to transforming global food systems.

These challenges highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to improve food security in the UAE and the broader GCC region, including investment in agricultural technology, sustainable practices, and policies aimed at enhancing local food production capabilities while reducing food waste.

Envisioning the Future of Food at the Dubai Future Foundation Summit

Our journey began in the bustling city of Dubai, where the Dubai Future Forum set the stage for bold conversations about food innovation, sustainability, and the role of technology in addressing global challenges.

From meeting key players in government to engaging with industry leaders, it was clear that Dubai is not only talking about the future of food but actively building it. A testament of the latter was participating, alongside various futurists and thought leaders to ‘Taste of Tomorrow’ dinner which took place at BoCa, a Spanish-inspired restaurant with a strong commitment to sustainability which catered an inspiring set of traditional Spanish dishes made with local produces and speciality products. 

The energy and vision were inspiring, as was the shared understanding that collaboration is essential for scaling impactful solutions for food and agriculture across the GCC region. It was a privilege to discuss how global AgriFoodTech innovations can be tailored to the unique needs of the region, unlocking opportunities for growth and resilience for the local food and beverage industry.

Abu Dhabi: Tackling Global Food Security Challenges

The trip culminated in Abu Dhabi, where we attended the Global Food Security Summit — an event that brought together some of the brightest minds working to address one of humanity’s most pressing challenges. The sessions were thought-provoking and action-oriented, with a clear focus on bridging the gap between innovation and real-world application.

‘’We need to stop growing what we want and start growing what we can’’.

Going also beyond pure tech innovation, during a panel on how to revolutionise farming in arid lands, Aly Abousabaa, CGIAR Regional Director, also reminded the audience the importance of biodiversity and exploring the vast amount of crops available for consumption, but currently not being farmed at scale.

Finally, one of key highlights of the week was an exclusive Gala Dinner, which provided an intimate setting to connect with key leaders and decision-makers of the region. Conversations centered on scaling AgriFoodTech solutions into impact, with the GCC emerging as a ‘natural’ leader in fostering innovation-driven solutions for the entire region’s food security agenda.

 

Our House View – How to Bolster UAE’s Positioning on The Global AgriFoodTech Map

What struck us the most by interacting with key local stakeholders is how open and driven is the local system when it comes to acting in a meaningful way in order to address the challenges and drive impact above and beyond the GCC region and most specifically in the Global South.

While both the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other countries from the GCC have been actively investing in and developing various initiatives to bolster their Food Security strategy through AgriFoodTech innovation, we see the following elements as pivotal to truly advance the GCC’s positioning as a global leader in the AgriFoodTech space:

1. Current investments in AgriFoodTech startups are missing the mark.  The region demands a more targeted and strategic approach to meet its food security agenda’s strategic objectives. While innovations like vertical farming and alternative proteins, and most particularly cell-based foods, represent important components of the long-term strategy to combat food insecurity, they alone cannot solve the region’s key challenges. Nature remains to be the ultimate driving force in food production but technology can be its powerful enabler. Among various existing AgriFoodTech solutions, we believe there are some real ‘game-changers’ in solving some of the most pressing challenges of the GCC’s food system such as:
   1. Precision irrigation
      
   2. Advanced desalination technologies 
   3. Tech-enabled bio farms & greenhouses
   4. Resilient seed genetics
   5. Soil optimization (e.g., bio-technologies for improved water retention)
      
      
2. To meaningfully contribute to the UAE’s non-oil GDP, multinationals and F&B companies must prioritize local R&D, establish regional manufacturing, and tap into the UAE’s global trading potential. Transformative change requires bold leadership by the industry itself. By giving access to a robust local talent pool and advanced technologies, the global food industry can fully leverage GCC’s strategic position as a premier global trading hub. We strongly believe that fostering such initiatives will unlock substantial growth opportunities, enabling the local food economy to make a significant and lasting impact on the entire region’s non-oil GDP.
   
   
3. The missing piece?  A truly viable and comprehensive Public-Private Partnership (PPP) strategy for the wider GCC region. Although we have witnessed a surge in projects aimed at strengthening food security, most notably in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, these initiatives remain fragmented and early in their journey. We believe it is critical to establish PPPs that truly bring together all key stakeholders—industry leaders, entrepreneurs, academic institutions, policymakers, and investors—working collaboratively on a unified strategy to ‘close the loop’ and lay the foundation for a solid and vibrant FoodTech innovation ecosystem that offer abundant access to local specialised talent.

 

Looking Ahead: Bridging Global Innovation with GCC Impact

This trip was a powerful reminder of the UAE and broader GCC region’s growing position as a global crossroads for innovation and collaboration. Over the last four years we have been actively supported various strategic initiatives in the region and we are genuinely excited about the unique opportunity to bring and scale the most impactful global AgriFoodTech solutions into this region, driving sustainability and resilience at scale.

As we reflect on the connections made and the insights gained, we are excited about the role we can play in this transformation. By working together with strategic stakeholders in the GCC region committed to advance the local AgriFoodTech ecosystem, we can turn bold ideas into tangible outcomes that benefit not only the region but the whole world.

Stay tuned as we continue to build bridges and foster partnerships that make a difference.

 

Forward Fooding is the world’s first collaborative platform for the Food & Beverage industry via FoodTech Data Intelligence and Corporate-Startup Collaboration – Learn more about our Consultancy and Scouting Services and our Startup Network.