Dubai [UAE], May 15: The Boulevard exhibition, held on the sidelines of the Food Innovation Conference 2024, drew a wide participation of stakeholders, investors and national and global companies specialised in food and agricultural products to explore the latest food system innovations.
The exhibition highlighted avant-garde services, products, and technologies designed to accelerate the adoption of innovation and provide effective solutions in the face of challenges that hinder the sustainability of global food supplies.
Held on the sidelines of the conference, and organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the exhibition provided an optimal opportunity for specialised companies to exchange expertise and knowledge and discuss the latest trends in food sustainability.
It was developed as an interactive platform to attract the public and educate guests on the most disruptive technologies and initiatives that are shaping the future of food systems.
The model showcase introduced the conference's guests and visitors to the latest achievements of the "Food Tech Valley", which was launched in 2021 by His His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, with aims to triple the UAE's food production.
The "Food Tech Valley", a joint project between the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and Wasl Group, aims to create a modern city that includes integrated food management within its activities.
The project aims to serve as a hub for future clean tech-based food and agricultural products and an incubator for researchers, entrepreneurs, startups and industry experts involved in developing solutions that have the potential to shape the future of the food industry. The "Food Tech Valley" is to become the trademark and benchmark for food management systems sustainability regionally and globally.
The model showcase displayed the innovative ideas of the "Food Tech Valley" project, centred around food, innovation, knowledge, technology, and sustainability. The project seeks to transform the UAE into a global hub for technology-driven food and agricultural solutions.
The showcase also highlighted the project's role in supporting the use of technologies and applied research in food processing and agriculture, and how it applies modern farming techniques - such as vertical farming, aquaculture and hydroponics - to accelerate self-sufficiency in fresh food produce and reduce wastage of resources.
The exhibition displayed the four clusters of the Food Tech Valley: agricultural technology and engineering, a food innovation centre, R&D facilities, and an advanced smart food logistics hub. These clusters will employ modern farming techniques and innovative projects involving bioengineering, automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Visitors and participants also explored the project's plans to attract creative minds and entrepreneurs in smart food production to implement the highest standards of sustainability and technological innovation in the food sector.
During the exhibition, Elite Agro, specialised in the design and construction of agricultural facilities on a global scale, showcased modern farming techniques where science and innovation merged with nature preservation and sustainability. These sustainable agricultural practices were designed to safeguard natural resources like soil, water, or climate and ensure cultivating healthy food.
The company highlighted the role of drones in advancing the agricultural sector through aerial surveys of agricultural areas to capture detailed data and information. It also showcased how the Internet of Things (IoT) provided technical support for farmers in developing countries.
This interactive showcase presented a vision for the future of arid climate food production, highlighting the use of advanced agricultural technologies designed to reduce water consumption. The showcase explored the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices capable of addressing soil and water salinity issues.
The showcase offered visitors an immersive VR experience to explore the latest smart farming technologies and automated agricultural systems such as irrigation, pest control, soil and crop monitoring, as well as best practices in vertical and hydroponic farming.
Agerpoint offered visitors a VR experience to explore advanced farm scanning technologies through the Agerpoint Capture app. This app measures plant quantity, height, diameter, and biomass, assesses crop health, predicts crop growth and yield, tracks wildfire risk and invasive species, as well as evaluates and monitors biodiversity.
The exhibition, held on the sidelines of the Food Innovation Conference 2024, comes in support of global efforts to advance food production technologies to address the impact of rising hunger and malnutrition globally. It also highlighted the significant role of modern technologies in mitigating climate change and enhancing agricultural systems that employ climate-smart practices, producing a diverse array of foodstuffs within a resilient system.
The Food Innovation Conference 2024, held in Dubai from 13th to 15th May under the theme "Reimagining Future Food Systems", brings together over 150 experts, academics, public and private companies, and farmers to discuss the latest trends in global food sustainability, exchange knowledge, scale frontier technology solutions and accelerate the movement of food systems innovation globally.
Source: Emirates News Agency
