The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment reveals details of its agenda and events "UAE Agricultural Conference and Exhibition 2026"

DUBAI, 7 APRIL / WAM / Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, revealed the details and agenda of the second edition of the “UAE Agricultural Conference and Exhibition 2026”, which is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Court, at the “ADNEC Al Ain Center” during the period from 22 to 26 April this year.

This came during the official press conference, which was attended by a group of officials from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, event partners, and the media, and was held today in Dubai, where Her Excellency confirmed that the new edition, which is launched under the slogan “A comprehensive Emirati agricultural platform… towards societal sustainability and global innovation,” constitutes a sovereign and development platform that shapes the future of food security for the UAE, and that the event was designed to support the local production system, employ advanced technology, and strengthen international and community partnerships, in response to climate challenges. And the rapid changes that the world is witnessing.

Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al-Dahhak said: Today the region is going through enormous challenges in which geopolitical variables and climate challenges are intertwined with unprecedented disruptions in global supply chains. These variables require us to deal with them with the highest levels of readiness and innovation. In light of this scene, we realize today more than ever that focusing on local production was never just a reaction to a reality imposed by crises, but rather a strategic and proactive choice made by the UAE from the beginning, and a direct reflection of the forward-looking vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” which places food security and enabling national production at the heart of the country’s national security, in the belief that sustainable food is one of the basic pillars of the stability and prosperity of future generations.

The Minister of Climate Change and Environment stressed that the event represents a practical and sustainable translation of this rational vision, and said: The UAE agricultural conference and exhibition reflects the proactiveness of the UAE decision to develop the local product through direct attention to the citizen farmer. Today, we are moving from the concept of supporting agriculture as a single sector, to building an integrated agricultural economic system that links farms and livestock breeders to the advanced food industry sector, and employs the latest technologies to maximize production and sustain resources to consolidate the foundations of the entire sector.

Her Excellency added: We are continuing with full awareness of this approach, so that this national event will be a strong launch for sector leadership and a major driver for enhancing economic diversification in the country. Our message today is clear; We are not satisfied with ensuring food supplies, but rather we grow our food with our own hands, and create a prosperous and food-secure future capable of withstanding flexibility and strength in the face of changes of all kinds, to present to the world an inspiring Emirati model in transforming challenges into sustainable development opportunities.

To translate the strategic vision into reality, the UAE Agricultural Conference and Exhibition 2026 attracts an integrated national system under one roof. This year’s event reflects the magnitude of the national response, as it includes more than 50 expert speakers and more than 40 dialogue sessions, with the participation of more than 200 Emirati farmers, about 60 companies from the private sector, and 40 startups, in addition to the participation of more than 20 government agencies, about 2,000 students from schools and universities, and 3 national universities.

To ensure the comprehensiveness of the impact and coverage of all links of the food value chain, the exhibition experience was designed through several integrated strategic visitor paths, which are “the farmers’ path, the educational path, the community path, and the business and young entrepreneurs path.”

This year, the event represents a comprehensive and integrated national platform that brings together all components of the sector under one roof, starting with supporting farmers, livestock breeders, “halal owners,” and fish farming specialists, and enhancing the role of the private sector and food industries, all the way to empowering women and youth to be future innovation leaders, and engaging the community as an active partner in the development journey, ensuring a true agricultural renaissance that establishes a safe and sustainable food future for the UAE.

The second edition of the UAE Agricultural Conference and Exhibition 2026 seeks to achieve four strategic goals to ensure the comprehensiveness of the impact. The first goal focuses on “raising the quality of farmers’ participation,” and the second goal seeks to “enrich the visitors’ experience” to transform the exhibition into a live and attractive experience, through interactive events such as live “farm to table” cooking competitions, and a “local product journey” demonstration. The third goal is concerned with “empowering agricultural education” to create a new conscious and innovative generation. The event also aims to “promote agricultural entrepreneurship” and create a stimulating environment for young innovators through project exhibitions and the launch of national competitions for university students.

Regarding the details of this system, Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al-Dahhak said: The National Agricultural Center, which began its work last year as a strategic ambition, is present today as one of the strategic engines of the event, as its pavilion at the exhibition represents an operations room that witnesses the signing of memorandums of understanding and the conclusion of strategic partnerships to provide direct technical and material support to raise the efficiency of our farmers.

Her Excellency touched on the “Farmers’ Path” as one of the most important pillars of the exhibition, and said: True empowerment is clearly evident in the “Farmers’ Market”, the most important space to support producers and connect them directly to the markets. We do not limit ourselves to supporting agriculture as primary production, but rather we work to connect farmers with major national companies in the food industry sector, to ensure the creation of added value for our local products and the sustainability of supply chains. In this context, we were keen to highlight the leadership of “Emirati female farmers” through a space dedicated to them, and to integrate children as young producers, while allocating prominent corners to beekeepers and the date trade.

The Minister of Climate Change and Environment revealed the expansion of the umbrella of support to include a new vital sector, as Her Excellency added: Food security is not complete without our livestock, and the exhibition witnesses the allocation of a large outdoor space that houses the “Halal Owners’ Tent,” which is entirely dedicated to livestock breeders and fish farming, and will witness live auctions, so that we can strongly support this sector, which represents an integral part of our heritage and our national economy.

Her Excellency stressed that the Community Pavilion, which represents the largest area in the exhibition, is “our message to every Emirati family and resident of this land, inspired by the legacy of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, who instilled in us a love of the land and taught us that the prosperity of nations begins with its cultivation and care.”

Her Excellency said: Through interactive activities and educational workshops, we integrate families and children to consolidate the culture of sustainability, enhance the concept of home agriculture, and connect the consumer with our local product, to assure everyone that agriculture in the Emirates is not just an economic sector, but rather a national identity, an authentic heritage, and a way of life that we inherit and develop together.

In the context of formulating policies and building minds, Her Excellency stressed that the event represents a national platform for brainstorming, and that the conference’s knowledge agenda was carefully designed over three days to draw a clear road map for the sector.

She said: We devoted the first day to discussing the language of modern agriculture, represented by “data and artificial intelligence,” then moving on the second day to discussing “food industries” and creating added value, in conjunction with hosting the “Second Agricultural Extension Forum” to put the latest scientific practices in the hands of farmers, leading to the third day, which focuses on the true nucleus of our society, which is “the family and women farmers,” and then the fourth day, which is dedicated to the UAE University with a number of rich sessions and discussions.

Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al-Dahhak added: Because we are certain that policies and the results of scientific research, if they do not find their way to the market, will remain locked in drawers, we have designed the ‘Young Business and Entrepreneurs Track’ to be a commercial platform and a lively space in which startup companies and entrepreneurs showcase their latest products and innovations. We do not provide here just a display space, but rather we provide a fertile and actual incubator environment for concluding strategic partnerships and signing local agreements that will be filled during the days of the event, to transform innovative ideas into successful economic projects that support our local market.

She said: Young entrepreneurs will have a major role in this movement, as we support emerging projects with full force to establish an agricultural sector possible with technology and innovation in the future, and the event will be an important platform for us to launch this trend. The youth movement will not stop there; After we launched the ‘Emirates Youth Council for Agriculture’ last year, the Council returns today to the forefront of the scene as an effective engine for instilling an entrepreneurial mentality and providing a supportive environment for transforming youth ambitions into a tangible investment reality through many activities and events.

Based on the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s belief that the future of food security begins at school, the event designated the “Educational Path” to be a huge interactive platform that brings together a group of school students, students and staff of 3 leading national universities.

In this context, Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al-Dahhak said: I believe that modern agriculture is being built today within the corridors of laboratories and scientific research centers. Our real bet is not only limited to importing the latest global technologies, but is primarily based on preparing an Emirati generation armed with science and capable of innovating its own sustainable solutions to our environmental and climate challenges.

Her Excellency explained that the exhibition places a high priority on students and research efforts within the “Community Corner” to showcase the latest agricultural research and innovations, noting that the event will witness the organization of an “Agricultural Innovation Hackathon” in which students and young minds will compete to find technical solutions applicable on the ground.

Her Excellency praised the “Sustainable” program, which is a strategic initiative launched by the Ministry to train and qualify students agriculturally in cooperation with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and Sellal Company, stressing that the research and applied projects and practical outcomes of the program’s students will be presented in the community corner during the exhibition days.

At the international level, Her Excellency confirmed that the exhibition enjoys a strategic partnership and a strong presence of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as an international partner for the event.

As part of the country’s commitment to protecting ecosystems as an integral part of food sustainability, Her Excellency revealed the provision of an impressive and exceptional technological “virtual experience” for visitors to the exhibition to learn about the efforts of the “Crimea Climate Alliance.” She explained that this experience carries a clear message that the UAE’s innovations and environmental commitment do not stop at its national borders, but rather extend to exporting solutions and protecting the ecosystems of the entire planet.

Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al-Dahhak praised the pivotal role of Al-Najah Partners and sponsors in supporting the goals of this national event, stressing that the concerted efforts between various sectors is the main driver for achieving the desired agricultural renaissance, as the exhibition in its second session enjoys the support of an elite group of partners and sponsors, and “Salal Foodstuff” Company participates as a platinum sponsor, and “Al-Baraka Dates Factory” as a gold sponsor. The list of silver sponsors includes “Emirates Elite Agro Company”, “Lulu Hypermarket”, “Agthia Group”, “Emirates Council for Balanced Development”, and “Al Ain Farm”, while “Emirates Bio Farm” participates as a bronze sponsor.

In terms of strategic partnerships, the role of the National Agricultural Center is prominent as an organizational partner, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority as a government partner, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as an international partner. The academic, cognitive and media dimension of the event is also enhanced through qualitative partnerships with the United Arab Emirates University as an academic partner, the Trends Center as a knowledge partner, and the Abu Dhabi Media Network as a media partner.

The Minister of Climate Change and Environment concluded her speech by thanking the success partners of government agencies, academic institutions, private sector leaders, small and medium-sized companies, and official sponsors, stressing that this huge event would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the one Emirates team.

Her Excellency extended an open invitation to media professionals, investors, farmers, Emirati families and residents to visit this exceptional event at the ADNEC Al Ain Center during the month of April, to be an active part of the new agricultural map in the UAE.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment invites all interested community members, media and partners to register and participate in this pioneering national event through the following link: https://emiratesagriculture.ae/visitor-registration

The agenda, events and workshops during the event can also be accessed through the following link:

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Related