COP28 Media Opportunity to demonstrate Agriculture Innovation in Action

The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), the first global agriculture, food systems, and climate change coalition of its kind to accelerate collaborative action among government, non-profit, and private sector entities, to increase their self-financed investments in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovations and solutions.

AIM for Climate is spearheaded by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Mariam Almheiri and was launched by the President of the United States at COP26.

One of our Innovation Sprint partners (expedited efforts in accelerating impact) is the $20mn Integrated Desert Farming Innovation Platform (IDFIP) and a demo site has been set up in Sharjah, UAE for you to see a range of foods that can be grown locally in Dubai, demonstrating agriculture innovation in action.

Through integrating and fast-tracking innovative and circular desert farming technologies and business models, this Innovation Sprint will support the Arabian Peninsula and MENA region in boosting the agriculture industry, employment , incomes and resilient livelihoods.
ensuring food, nutrition, and water security for their rural communities as they face the impacts of climate change.

This Innovation Sprint is led by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in partnership with other stakeholders.

In the UAE, the agricultural sector is pivoting towards modernization and the integrated and cutting-edge, resource-efficient technologies of the IDFIP can play a significant role. These advances are crucial for a region with low food productivity in deserts and where traditional farming methods are no longer sustainable due to extreme heat and water scarcity driven by climate change.

Embracing a mix of agri-approaches —from date palm production to greenhouse vegetables—UAE farmers are integrating ICARDA’s climate-smart solutions, shifting from outdated practices to innovative, energy and input efficient food production systems. This transition not only conserves precious resources but also positions local farmers as pioneers in adapting to and mitigating climate change.