The goal of ‘AIM for Climate’ is to speed up research and development (R&D) on agriculture in support of climate action.

“The United States is proud to be pioneering the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate initiative along with the United Arab Emirates and several other supportive partners,” said U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry.

“I was impressed by the ingenuity being applied to food and climate challenges during my recent trip to the UAE, and know that we all stand to benefit by sharing best practices and raising innovation ambition when it comes to climate-smart agriculture. AIM for Climate can serve as a unique platform for cooperation among many countries on these shared challenges,” Kerry added.

Reportedly, the mission will be advanced at the UN Food Systems Summit scheduled to take place in September 2021 and launched at COP26 in November 2021.

The mission, once officially launched, will help raise global ambition and underpin more transformative climate action in all countries.

UAE-based agtech start-up Pure Harvest Smart Farms raised $50 million via sukuk (Islamic bonds), the first time an early-stage firm in the region has secured venture capital via debt.

Notably, the firm raised $10 million in equity capital in the month of January, founder and CEO Sky Kurtz told Reuters.

The combined million capital will be used to set up two “high-tech hybrid greenhouses” in the country in the Middle East to produce tomatoes and leafy greens.

The financing will not only allow the company to retrofit an existing facility for berry production in the United Arab Emirates but also build a tomato production facility in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the National Agricultural Development Company.

The AgriTech Sector Development Team, a newly set-up team from the UAE’s booming agri-tech sector, organized a workshop in order to explore proposed interventions to promote the cutting-edge technology adoption in farming.

Led by Minister of State for Food and Water Security Mariam Almheiri, the workshop discussed the progress made by the team.

“The team strives to promote the adoption of advanced and emerging technologies in every subdivision of the agriculture sector to increase local production, establish a green and sustainable economy in the UAE, and ensure food security for the country’s citizens and residents,” Almheiri said.

It is to be noted that the agriculture sector in the Arab state, modern irrigation systems and hydroponics are being increasingly engaged, and growers are switching to organic farming.

UAE’s Minister of Climate Change and Environment Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi held a meeting with several local farm owners and highlighted methods to support the emerging agritech ecosystem.

He also underlined the Ministry’s role in creating markets for local crops through collaborative efforts with major retailers to sell agricultural products across the chain of stores and supermarkets.

Moreover, the minister stated that the UAE gives priority to those agricultural technologies that boost crop production and quality and reduce the environmental footprint of farms across the country.