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As the world wraps up another climate conference with high-level pledges and ambitious timelines, food security is no longer a policy theme; it is a test of global resilience. COP30 placed food systems at the centre of climate diplomacy and accountability, yet the UAE is already moving from commitment to implementation.
With rising hunger, escalating waste, and a rapidly changing agricultural landscape, the country has built a model grounded in innovation, collaboration and measurable outcomes.
Few voices sit closer to that work than Khuloud Hassan Al Nowais, chief sustainability officer at Emirates Foundation, secretary general of ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, and judge for the UAE FoodTech Challenge.
In this conversation, she reflects on why food security demands urgent action, how the UAE’s approach is translating into real-world impact, and what lessons the rest of the world can adopt from its approach.
COP30 has put food security in the spotlight. Why is this issue so urgent right now?
When COP began in 1995, it set out to accelerate global climate agreements. Thirty years later, with climate change impacting every aspect of life, COP30 has reinforced the urgency for action.
In 2023, the UAE successfully hosted COP28, a landmark event that concluded the first-ever Global Stocktake of progress towards the Paris Agreement goals, with key declarations focused on agriculture, food & climate, and climate and health.
Food security has been a key focus at this year’s conference. Brazil, the host country, is a global agricultural leader, and COP30 marks the deadline for over 150 countries to deliver on their commitment to integrate agriculture and food systems into climate plans – the commitments we’ve made two years ago at COP28 in Dubai.
This focus couldn’t have come at a more critical time. Today, between 638 and 720 million people, corresponding to 7.8 and 8.8 per cent of the global population, respectively, face hunger in 2024. These staggering figures are made worse by the reality of food waste. And the economic, social, and environmental costs of wasted food run into trillions of dollars.
The UAE has been proactive on food security for years. What makes its approach unique and effective?
Food security has been a concern that the UAE have been acting and innovating around for years. ne’ma, the national food loss and waste initiative, is driving toward the UAE’s target to halve food loss and waste by 2030. And the FoodTech Challenge, led by the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court and Tamkeen, identifies and scales the world’s most promising agri-tech solutions, moving practical ideas from demo to deployment.
Together, they exemplify the UAE’s model: marrying innovation and collaboration to deliver tangible and measurable impact towards the shared goal.
Tell us more about the FoodTech Challenge – how did it start, and what impact is it having in the UAE and globally?
Launched in 2019 under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the FoodTech Challenge began as an initiative to raise awareness and catalyse participation in the UAE’s emerging food tech ecosystem and has since evolved into a global competition attracting leading innovators worldwide.
This year, over 1200 teams from 113 countries submitted their innovative solutions, and nearly 40 per cent of entries leveraged AI and smart logistics to tackle food loss and waste. From demand forecasting to cut over ordering, to sensor-driven storage that extends shelf life, and route optimisation that minimises time-temperature exposure, the ideas were both practical and forward-thinking.
The FoodTech Challenge is sponsored by ne’ma, and I served as a judge for the competition. I was impressed by the ingenuity behind these ventures. It was also a point of pride that two UAE startups made it to the finals with solutions that could redefine agriculture and food production in the country.
We also recognise the need to support talent and new ideas beyond our borders. This year, the finalist teams came from several countries in the Global South, including Kenya, Egypt, and Malaysia. The winners will have the opportunity to become part of an ecosystem of prominent investors and partners to truly globalise their solutions.
Collaboration seems central to the UAE’s strategy. How does ne’ma exemplify this, and what role does it play in achieving national and global goals?
While COP calls for cooperation across governments and businesses, the UAE is already putting this into practice. ne’ma – the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative – is a joint effort with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Emirates Foundation and the Presidential Court. It works to convene and connect all stakeholders across the value chain and align all efforts to achieve the UAE’s national target, directly contributing to the UAE Security Strategy 2051 and UN SDG 12.3.
Looking ahead, what lessons from the UAE’s model can other countries adopt to build resilient food systems?
The UAE’s model works because collaboration accelerates innovation, and innovation strengthens collaboration. An ecosystem that facilitates strong ideas and plans helps guarantee success in a shorter time and larger scale. At the same time, the use of new technologies and research allows collaborating entities to deliver meaningful results.
In the UAE, we used this model successfully beyond food systems; in climate action, technology development, and education – and it reflects in our outcomes. By adopting the same solution-oriented, shared-responsibility approach, other countries can move from commitment to action and help shape a truly food-secure future for all.
