UAE minister of environment and water to lead GFIA closing ceremony

Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, the UAE Minister of Environment and Water, has been confirmed to lead the Closing Ceremony of the Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) which will start on 3rd February in Abu Dhabi. The Ceremony will be a Ministerial Discussion entitled the Africa Innovation Initiative, and will see Ministers of Agriculture and national delegations from across Africa agree steps to speed up the adoption of agricultural innovations. GFIA, the world's largest showcase of game-changing innovations in agriculture, is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), and in strategic partnership with ADFCA. The Ministry of Environment and Water is an official supporter of the event. As part of its commitment to the success of the activities of GFIA, the Ministry of Environment and Water has invited the Ministers of Agriculture and the Environment from the GCC nations and Morocco. "We are honoured to welcome Dr Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad as leader of the Closing Ceremony and Ministerial Discussion. There is great potential for the increased sharing of best agricultural practices between the UAE and African nations, and the Africa Innovation Initiative underlines the important relationship between the UAE and Africa. Dr Rashid's expertise on agricultural affairs will be of great benefit to the discussion," said Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, Communication and Community Service Division Director, ADFCA. Under Bin Fahad's strategic direction, the Ministry of Environment and Water has been spearheading recent initiatives aimed at improving agricultural productivity in the UAE, which include holding workshops on livestock development. Ministerial delegations from North, East, South, West and Central Africa will participate in the Ministerial Discussion, under the sponsorship of the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau. Accelerating the adoption of agricultural innovation is essential to feed Africa's rapidly growing population, which is expected to double from around one billion to almost two billion over the next 40 years. In sub-Saharan Africa nearly 240 million people - one person in every four - currently lack adequate food for a healthy and active life, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Improving agricultural productivity is a key factor in improving food security across the continent. Raising real agricultural output growth to the African Union's target of 6% per year would double present growth rates - and productivity-based growth through new innovative technologies and better use of resources can account for half of that increase. GFIA 2014 brings together all the leading players in solution-oriented agriculture in a single central location. It seeks to highlight the sustainable agriculture initiatives and innovations being planned and deployed across the world to increase food security and safeguard future sources of homegrown food, particularly in regions characterised by water shortages and unfertile land. The multi-faceted event includes an exhibition with over 150 exhibitors plus an 800-delegate conference, comprising keynote sessions, panel discussions, the Africa Ministerial discussion and 150 innovation presentations from 180 speakers.