India-UAE Food Security Partnership

• Due to its reliance on food imports, the UAE has set the objectives of achieving food availability and supply chain disaster preparedness. India, the world's second-largest food producer, is an important ally in the UAE's attempts to improve food security. Numerous points of convergence favour the partnership between India and the UAE for food security.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE), whose food security was based on imports from international markets, is now concentrating on the twin goals of food access and capability to deal with supply chain problems.

India's Potential in the International Agri-Export Market

• Powerhouse of global agriculture exports :India's large arable land, pleasant climate, and expanding food production and processing sector have helped it become a global agri-export powerhouse.
• The contribution of India to world food security: By providing food to underdeveloped nations on a humanitarian basis, India has shown how its position in enhancing regional and global food security is evolving.
• international food industry: In order to maximise its agri-capabilities in the global food market, India has invested heavily in large food parks and set up its food sector to gain from bilateral trade agreements.

Indian domestic measures for food security

• most significant programme for food subsidies in the world: The Public Distribution System, run by India, is the largest food subsidy programme in the world, providing approximately 800 million citizens with reduced grains for regular, cheap meals.
• The Prime Minister of India's Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition (POSHAN) Abhiyaan.The largest nutrition programme in the world for women and children.
• Three Cs, for example: In order to address the three Cs of Covid, Conflict, and Climate concerns harmful to food security in India and around the world, India is promoting the consumption and farming of millets as part of its G-20 leadership.

How is India's partnership with the UAE for global food security being strengthened?

• India has a strong hold on agri-exports because of its large amount of fertile land, suitable climate, and expanding food production and processing industry.
• India has also contributed to humanitarian food aid to developing nations, illustrating its dedication to local and global food security.
• Food Parks and Supply Chain Management: To take advantage of bilateral trade agreements, India has made enormous investments in food parks and cutting-edge supply chain management, demonstrating its commitment to dominating the world food industry.
• Food corridor: The food corridor may start as a path for foods produced and processed in India, starting on the Indian coast of the Arabian Sea, travelling through the United Arab Emirates, and heading to significant global markets.
• Industry growth for food processing: In addition to creating thousands of non-farm agri-jobs, the private sector projects in the UAE's agricultural and food processing sectors will also help farmers find higher prices for their goods.
• alternative routes to the world market: With the support of the UAE's infrastructure, India's agricultural products will have more durable and diverse routes to the international market.
• UAE's Investment: During the I2U2 Summit in 2022, the UAE has pledged to investing USD 2 billion in the development of food parks in India.
• Agriota: The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre has introduced Agriota, an agri-trading and commodity platform that gives Indian farmers direct access to the Emirati markets and links them to the UAE's food ecosystem.

Significance: India's gateway to new markets:

• In addition to sustaining and diversifying India's food reserves, the UAE's strategic location between Asia and Europe can act as its food export gateway to West Asia and Africa.
• With the creation of non-farm agri-jobs and higher pricing for farmers' products, India stands to benefit from the private sector developments in the UAE.
• Template for a Partnership for Global Food Security:
• An excellent opportunity to highlight effective plans and frameworks for ensuring food security in the Global South is presented by India's G-20 presidency.
• India, which sets the global development agenda, may take advantage of and strengthen trade relations with the UAE to create a sustainable, inclusive, effective, and resilient food future.

For UAE

• Diversification of food reserves: To feed its people, the UAE mainly depends on food imports. UAE will be able to diversify its food supplies and become less reliant on a small number of nations for its food security thanks to the collaboration with India.
• UAE's strategic location between Asia and Europe can be used to India's advantage as a food export hub for the wider West Asia and Africa region. This might strengthen the UAE's status as a regional food trade hub.
• Investment opportunities: Through this agreement, UAE-based businesses may be able to participate in India's food and agricultural industry, including mega food parks, contract farming, and agro-commodity sourcing.

Significant Obstacles to Global Food Security

• Climate Change Threat: According to the United Nations, the main causes of the rising food insecurity are climate change and extreme weather events.
• Increased temperatures, weather variability, invasive plants and animals, and more frequent extreme weather events all have a negative impact on agriculture, resulting in lower agricultural yields, inferior produce with regard to nutrition, and lower farmer revenues.
• Pricing in a Volatile Market: Although the idea of globalisation has made agricultural trade more open, it is unable to guarantee more stable market pricing.
• Geopolitical tensions and trade disputes may lead to trade disruptions, such as bans, sanctions, and tariffs, which may have an impact on the supply and demand for food as well as the commerce in that commodity.

Conclusion

• Both nations stand to gain from the India-UAE food security alliance, and the two countries' cooperation can provide answers to problems with food security in the Global South. The alliance can develop diversified routes to the global market, produce non-farm agri-jobs, and help farmers to get higher pricing for their goods thanks to the UAE's infrastructure and India's agricultural expertise.