Abu Dhabi has begun an agricultural genome programme to address the United Arab Emirates’ food security challenges.
Ensuring there is enough food to feed a growing global population is a major concern for governments around the world. In the arid Gulf states, food security poses its own set of unique challenges. From vertical farming to technology that turns saltwater into water fit for agriculture, the search is on for solutions.
The new programme aims to develop local breeds of plant, animal and fish farming, ensure improved agricultural production and meet the challenges of the emirate’s climatic and environmental conditions. It also aims to establish a gene bank to conserve local plant, animal and fish genetic resources, and establish a database for its genetic strains, and more potential samples when needed in the future.
The programme will also develop local capacities to promote the conservation and registration of local plant and animal breeds internationally, genetic sequencing processes, the study of virtual and genetic traits of plants and animals, and the identification of genetic evidence of the desired characteristics of animal and plant genetic resources.
Under the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the new programme is a key pillar of the initiatives and programmes of the Strategic Plan of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority 2022-2025.
