UOWD, UAEU, ICBA, AND DUBAI MUNICIPALITY JOIN FORCES TO ADVANCE FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE IN UAE The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), the UAE University, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), and the Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality have partnered to develop a suite of innovative tools to bolster food resilience in the UAE, as part of the ‘Resilient Agrifood Dynamism Through EvidenceBased Policies’ (READY) project. Led by Dr. Ioannis Manikas, Associate Professor at UOWD, the READY project seeks to examine global drivers of change, assess their impact on the UAE food system, and from this examination produce several targeted tools – including an early warning system, a vulnerability assessment framework, and policies – to enable the UAE food system to demonstrate ‘resilient dynamism’. The partnership includes the development of a big data platform for evidence-based policy making, as well as a system for assessing vulnerabilities and responding to risks to food security. The project will also formulate policies and directives to help make the country’s
food system more resilient to supply shocks and disruptions. A dedicated knowledge portal and database will also be designed, along with a set of scenarios and models. Being a recipient of one of the four Ministry of Education Collaborative Research Program Grants awarded in 2020, READY will help develop the skills of budding researchers through its inclusion of five PhD students and four postdoctoral researchers. The READY project deliverables will make the UAE food system ‘resiliently dynamic’, meaning it will be able to adapt to changing contexts and withstand and recover from sudden shocks, while continuing to ensure the country’s security, self-sufficiency, and wellbeing. READY directly addresses the vision outlined in the UAE National Food Strategy 2051 for the nation to become a ‘worldleading hub in innovation-driven food security’ and will assist the UAE in reaching the top 10 countries – and ultimately number one – in the Global Food Security Index.
Source: https://www.uowdubai.ac.ae/news/uowd-faculty-awarded-major-research-grant-uae-ministry-education
