H.E Mariam Bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Al Mehairi, Minister of Food Security, hosted the Power Lunch with YAL exclusive members and VIP guests and talked about her responsibilities including overseeing the development of ‎necessary infrastructure to achieve food security objectives in line with “UAE Centennial 2071”.

Among the goals she mentioned are facilitating agribusiness, diversifying UAE food imports, production of food in the UAE that is commercially viable, ensuring the UAE has the know-how to produce food locally, enhancing domestic production, reducing food wastage, improving nutritional intake of society, and emergency preparedness.

To achieve some of the stated goals, the Ministry of Food Security believes that the 5 key enablers are governance structure to implement strategy, access to accurate data, national capacity building, R&D for food security, and societal education and awareness. Like any reform, there have been several barriers identified to the food technology industry in the UAE. Among the main ones are the usual: challenges in licensing and lack of financial support to the food production industry.

With the soon to be launched ‘Food Valley’, a food technology hub that allows innovators in the industry to utilize resources and help raise awareness through various initiatives and programs such as allowing children to be involved in food production, Her Excellency is optimistic about the future of food security in the UAE.

A woman of many talents, Her Excellency’s career has taken an incredibly inspiring journey from mechanical engineering to marine and finally food security, all of which surprisingly interrelate.