Abu Dhabi Unveils Target to Raise Food Self-Sufficiency from 30% to 70% by 2040 at Global Food Security Summit

Abu Dhabi aims to raise its self-sufficiency in basic food commodities from 30 percent to 70 percent by 2040 under a new strategy unveiled on October 6, 2026, at the opening of the Global Food Security Summit at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, according to Gulf News. Tareq Al Ameri, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), said the strategy is built on five pillars and 13 programmes. The first pillar focuses on producing more and strengthening Abu Dhabi's ability to meet its own food needs, carrying the 30-to-70 percent target. Other stated 2040 goals include cutting water use from 24,700 to 12,700 cubic metres per hectare per year, lifting the UAE from 26th to the global top five in the Global Food Security Index, and raising the sector's contribution to Abu Dhabi's economy from AED 9.5 billion to AED 34.6 billion.

The announcement positions food security as a strategic priority for Abu Dhabi amid shifting trade routes and supply chain disruption. The UAE has long depended heavily on imports; Gulf News has previously reported that the country buys about 80 percent of its food from overseas, so the target would require a significant expansion of domestic production. UAE Foreign Trade Minister Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi told the summit the country is accelerating investment in agri-tech such as vertical farms, hydroponics and precision fermentation. Feasibility in a desert climate remains subject to technology adoption, water resource management and sustained capital deployment over the 14-year horizon.

Sources

Gulf News, Abu Dhabi targets 70% food self-sufficiency by 2040 under new ADAFSA strategy, October 6, 2026, gulfnews.com