ABU DHABI, 6 October 2022 – His Highness Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, attended a lecture titled ‘Agritech and the Future of Food,’ hosted by Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed, at Qasr Al Bateen in Abu Dhabi. His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Authority for People of Determination, was also present, alongside several officials.

The lecture was delivered by Stuart Oda, an expert in urban agriculture and CEO of Alesca Life. He highlighted the increasing demand for food and the strain on natural resources, underscoring the need for innovative solutions to ensure sustainable food security. Oda presented cutting-edge technological advancements and shared his vision for the future of agriculture.

Oda predicted that agritech could sustainably feed nearly 10 billion people by 2050. He emphasised that the institutions shaping agriculture’s future will not necessarily be the largest or most established, but those that are the most agile and innovative.

He praised the UAE’s potential to drive this transformation by fostering dynamic ecosystems, noting that the country’s proactive initiatives position it as a potential regional leader in agricultural innovation.

Oda explained that agriculture has shaped human civilisation since its inception, with technological advancements significantly enhancing farm productivity and efficiency. These developments have propelled the global agritech sector to annual revenues exceeding USD 20 trillion.

He noted that agriculture enabled ancient societies to establish permanent settlements, plan for the future, and achieve economic prosperity, leading to significant demographic and professional shifts driven by growing awareness and technological progress.

However, Oda cautioned that modern agriculture consumes substantial resources, occupying 49% of habitable land, using 72% of freshwater, and contributing approximately 26% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

He highlighted that emerging technologies prioritise maximum productivity and efficiency. For instance, indoor vertical farms can yield 300 times more crops per square metre than traditional farms while using up to 99% less water.

The lecture will be broadcast on Emirates TV and other local channels, as well as on the Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed YouTube channel, at 6:30 PM tomorrow, Friday.