Farm workers tend to the tomato crop on a farm in Liwa. Experts say the Government must increase its investment in agriculture locally and through investment in foreign farmland.
Farm workers tend to the tomato crop on a farm in Liwa. Experts say the Government must increase its investment in agriculture locally and through investment in foreign farmland.

Oxfam urges action on food security



ABU DHABI // The head of the humanitarian aid group Oxfam GB has called on the Emirates to take a more active role in global food security.

After launching the Grow campaign to motivate governments to solve the food crisis, Barbara Stocking said yesterday in the capital that she expected fruitful discussions on the matter with UAE officials.

"We want the support of the Emirates Government in the discussions of some of these issues, especially during meetings like the G20 [Group of 20 leading and emerging economies]," Ms Stocking said.

"But we also need to raise a lot of awareness here about food security problems."

While in the UAE, she is holding talks with partner charities including Dubai Cares, The Khalifa Foundation and Red Crescent to secure better collaboration on projects in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen and the Palestinian Territories.

A charity event has been organised for next Saturday as part of the Dubai International Film Festival.

Ms Stocking will also meet officials from the UAE Office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid and the Ministry of Foreign Trade to discuss education and food security.

She said the country must develop a food-security strategy but also take into consideration its effect on poorer countries and small farm holders.

"While developing their own food security strategy I would be wanting to make sure they were looking at food security in countries like Africa as well," said Ms Stocking, who yesterday gave a presentation on the Grow campaign at New York University Abu Dhabi.

She said several countries and companies were involved in land acquisition and that it was a complex issue that had to be looked into.

"It's not necessarily wrong, although in Africa where there is very little actually available land there are some concerns," Ms Stocking said. "But countries must ensure it is done properly by making sure the people get their compensation."

The FNC had proposed a food-security strategy and reserve this year. The UAE imports 85 per cent of its food, which makes it vulnerable to price fluctuations.

Experts said the Government must increase investment in agriculture locally and through investment in foreign farmland.

Public and private investment groups and food importing and processing companies from the UAE have land deals in Africa, Eastern Europe, South America and Asia.

Like several other Gulf countries, UAE companies also own farmland in Sudan.

Ms Stocking said the question of water security was also an essential point to be considered in Gulf countries.

"Will they be doing their own desalination or buy land in other countries to secure water reserves?" she asked. "And what will be the energy cost involved and can it be done in a way that does not produce more carbon emissions?"

The Grow campaign tries to make countries aware of the increasing strain on resources, and climate and its effect on the food supply, particularly on underdeveloped populations.

In 2050, the world will need 70 per cent more food supply to feed 9 billion people. Ms Stocking said countries had to make sure the resources were shared.

"The campaign is our way of looking at the issue, taking food as a lens to look through and see what is happening to food security and poor people," she said.

Ms Stocking said it would require major system changes, including a deal on climate change.

"That is important because a massive increase in temperature is not going to help food production," she said.

"It means getting grain reserves in countries and regions and a social protection system, so that when the prices go up, people have money to buy food."

Several issues could be tackled through promoting local agricultural opportunities as well, she said.

"Fundamentally, we need more agricultural production to solve the food crisis."

Yousrey Elsharkawi, a food business consultant, said the UAE should try to become self-sufficient.

"Some of the challenges Gulf countries face in addressing the problem are that of manpower, which is not very big, and there are no institutes or education programmes for agriculture either," Mr Elsharkawi said.

He said local farming and investment in agricultural activities in other countries had to be encouraged as part of the food strategy.

"If UAE and other countries work towards becoming self-sufficient it will automatically contribute to the global problem," Mr Elsharkawi said.

He also suggested easy banking and credit facilities to farmers would spur the industry.

Ms Stocking said Qatar was developing their food security strategy and "were very alert to many of these problems".

"We had an interesting discussion on the land issue trying to understand and learn what is happening in the developing countries," she said. "We expect to have the same type of reception to the campaign and a fruitful discussion with the Government here as well."

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Transmission: 9-speed automatic

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Started: October 2023
Founder: Namrata Raina
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Current number of staff: 10
Investment stage: Pre-seed
Initial investment: Undisclosed 

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Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465

Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder

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Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km

Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

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Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.

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Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

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Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

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Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

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The winners

Fiction

  • ‘Amreekiya’  by Lena Mahmoud
  •  ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid

The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award

  • ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi;  translated by Ramon J Stern
  • ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres

The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award

  • ‘Footnotes in the Order  of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah

Children/Young Adult

  •  ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb 
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)

Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)

Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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If you go...

Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.

Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier

Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.

Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar

Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets