DAY 1 - Setting the Vision: From Food Security to Food SovereigntyMonday, 26 October 2026 - GT (Gulf Time, GMT+04:00)

Forward-looking keynote on reducing import dependency and building sustainable, resilient food ecosystems across the GCC and MENA region.

- Risks of over-reliance on global supply chains and geopolitical disruptions

- Development of strategic food reserves and local production hubs

- Role of sovereign wealth funds and long-term investments

- Balancing economic growth, environmental sustainability, and food security

Policy-driven keynote illustrating how governments are crafting long-term national food strategies aligned with climate, water, and economic priorities.

- Integrating water, energy, and agriculture into national planning

- Creating frameworks for public

- Private partnerships in food security- Establishing KPIs and resilience metrics to track impact

- Addressing climate change, population growth, and urbanization pressures

High-level discussion connecting production, logistics, and consumption to create resilient regional food systems.

- Mapping infrastructure gaps across production, processing, and distribution

- Encouraging regional collaboration to stabilize food availability and pricing

- Identifying scalable models for GCC and neighboring regions

- Aligning policy and private sector initiatives for maximum impact

Examines how agriculture systems can adapt to extreme weather and climate variability to ensure continuous food production.

- Climate-resilient crops and innovative seed technologies

- Trade-offs between controlled environment agriculture and open-field farming

- Risk mitigation using predictive analytics and real-time monitoring

- Lessons from regions already facing extreme climate conditions

Addressing financial mechanisms necessary to scale food security infrastructure and de-risk investments in agriculture.

- Sovereign-backed agricultural investment platforms

- Blended finance models for public-private risk mitigation

- Return-on-investment expectations versus long-term resilience outcomes

- Strategies to attract institutional investors into food systems

- Structuring ESG and green finance for water- and energy-efficient operations

- Designing sustainability-linked KPIs and pricing mechanics for agri borrowers

- Monetising agriculture credits with credible MRV and integrating revenues into term sheets

Reveals how GCC sovereign entities strategically invest globally to secure reliable food supply chains.

- Strategic land acquisitions and international farming projects

- Securing trade routes and long-term supplier agreements

- Mitigating geopolitical risks and disruptions

- Lessons learned from supply chain shocks during crises

Focuses on holistic resilience, linking farms to distribution and end consumers.

- Connecting production, processing, logistics, and retail

- Infrastructure requirements for system-wide resilience

- Regional scaling models and replication strategies

- Using data-driven decision-making to optimize outcomes

Explores the role of digital technologies in optimizing agricultural productivity and supply chain efficiency.

- Predictive analytics for crop yield forecasting

- AI applications in logistics, inventory management, and demand planning

- Smart farming solutions to reduce waste and improve productivity

- Integrating real-time data for decision-making across the food ecosystem

Examines pros and cons of technology-driven vs traditional food storage in extreme environments.

- Cost vs efficiency analysis of modern vs traditional storage systems

- Energy consumption and operational considerations

- Hybrid models combining technology and traditional methods

- Regional suitability and scalability

• Water Management: Desalination, cooling irrigation water during the hot summer months, and using efficient irrigation systems.
• Climate Adaptation: Protecting young plants with temporary shading and gradually adapting them to local heat and climatic conditions.
• Soil Health: Improving soil through organic fertilizers, compost and vermicompost, while allowing fallen leaves and plant material to naturally enrich the soil.
• Integrated Agricultural Ecosystem: Bringing water, climate adaptation, soil health, and organic practices together into one sustainable farming ecosystem.
• Practical UAE Experience: Sharing real examples and lessons from Wadi Dafta Plantation and Fujairah Botanical Farm.

Strategies to ensure reliable food distribution under extreme climate conditions.

- Identifying gaps in logistics and cold chain infrastructure

- Resilient transport strategies and regional trade integration

- Private-public collaboration for robust distribution networks

- Risk mitigation and future-proofing supply chains