UN praise for UAE’s positive steps towards food independence



ABU DHABI // A United Nations food expert has said the UAE has made great strides towards making sure it has food independence.

Speaking at an event to mark World Food Day, Ad Spijker, subregional office coordinator for the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN, said that it had reached many of the Millennium Development Goals set by the UN in 2000 to improve the lives of the people of the world.

“The UAE has cut the extreme poverty rates by half as well as reducing the proportion of hungry people and levels of undernourishment,” he said.

The UAE was also playing its part in strengthening global food security “as a result of the excellent infrastructure and transmission lines that link the state with most countries of the world”, he said.

The event, at Excalibur Farm in Al Shahama, was also to launch the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) in the UAE.

The FAO has teamed up with the Ministry of Environment and Water to raise awareness of and promote family farms and organic produce. Farmers, scientists, agriculture experts and students participated in the launch.

Saif Al Shara, assistant undersecretary of agricultural affairs and animal sector at the ministry, said that family farms – those that are two hectares or less – play a crucial role in meeting the UAE’s food needs.

But he said extra efforts needed to be made to ensure family-owned farms matched the productivity of commercial farms.

Saif Al Hamiri, the director of Excalibur Farm, also talked about the best practices and standards for family farms and how to avoid wastage of natural resources, particularly water.

The ceremony ended with a tour around the farm in which participants learnt about a variety of aspects of farming, including vegetable planting projects, irrigation systems, the collection of waste materials for organic fertilisers and recycling.

The Ministry has launched several initiatives to boost farming and preserve and develop the country’s agricultural industry.

These include Nakheelna, which aims to strengthen efforts to combat agricultural pests, particularly those that infect date palms.

According to the FAO, the 2014 International Year of Family Farming aims to raise the profile of family farms in the drive to eradicate hunger and poverty, improve food security and livelihoods, and protect the environment.

akhaishgi@thenational.ae

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance

Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.

Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.

The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.

Copa del Rey final

Sevilla v Barcelona, Saturday, 11.30pm (UAE), match on Bein Sports

Biog

Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara

He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada

Father of two sons, grandfather of six

Plays golf once a week

Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family

Walks for an hour every morning

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India

2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business

 

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UAE jiu-jitsu squad

Men: Hamad Nawad and Khalid Al Balushi (56kg), Omar Al Fadhli and Saeed Al Mazroui (62kg), Taleb Al Kirbi and Humaid Al Kaabi (69kg), Mohammed Al Qubaisi and Saud Al Hammadi (70kg), Khalfan Belhol and Mohammad Haitham Radhi (85kg), Faisal Al Ketbi and Zayed Al Kaabi (94kg)

Women: Wadima Al Yafei and Mahra Al Hanaei (49kg), Bashayer Al Matrooshi and Hessa Al Shamsi (62kg)

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months