Abu Dhabi: – Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), next week’s Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE) will host an outstanding array of globally renowned speakers.

The second edition of the exhibition is being organized by Capital Events, part of ADNEC Group in strategic partnership with ADAFSA from 27-29 November at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Key themes covered by the speakers will include food sustainability, developing food resilience, and food business and investment.

Highlights of Day One of ADIFE will include a panel on ‘Building Sustainable Food Networks: UAE’s Blueprint for Resilient Ecosystems’, which will be opened by an address from Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food & Beverage Manufacturing Group. This session will address critical issues such as building a sustainable and resilient food ecosystem, encouraging stakeholder collaboration and synergy, and the role of public-private partnerships in effective development of the food sector. The exhibition’s first day will also see the ‘Food Loss Pledge Signing’, an initiative through which invited stakeholders, industry leaders, government representatives, and attendees will sign a food loss reduction pledge

Day Two will include a panel on ‘Public-Private Partnership on Improve Competitiveness & Regulatory Affairs’ that will start with a discussion between H.E Dr. Farah Ali Al Zarooni, Assistant Under Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT), and Dr Suzanne Baaghil, Chairperson of Regulatory Affairs Group in the UAE. This will be followed by further in-depth analysis of the panel’s themes from Dr Nouf Khamis Al Ali, Director of the Health Promotion Department at the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), UAE, Prapti Rai, Head of Quality and Strategic Initiatives at the Barakat Group of Companies, UAE, and Dr Suzanne Baaghil. On the same day, Dr Afra Al Dhaheri and Dr Ahmed Fawaz Atoom, both of ADAFSA, will explore ‘Agriculture Practices and Promotion of Local Consumption’.

The final day will showcase a special session on ‘Funding and Investment Opportunities in the Agri-Food Sector’, which will include the results of a study on the food consumption rate in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi by Dr Hanan Afifi, Lead Researcher at ADAFSA, and a presentation on ‘Partnership & Investment Office: Promotion of the ADAFSA Investment Opportunities’ by Amna Al Sabaa, also of ADAFSA.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and Group CEO of ADNEC Group, said: “This year’s Second Edition of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition provides a crucial platform for showcasing the best in thought leadership and offering a unique opportunity to explore future trends in the vitally important food industry sector. Drawing on the expertise of leading global speakers, the exhibition is advancing food sustainability in alignment with the National Food Security Strategy’s objectives and our wise leadership’s vision to maintain the UAE among the world’s leading countries in the food security index.”

“This exhibition demonstrates ADNEC Group’s ongoing commitment to deliver world-class facilities and services that consistently exceed the expectations of both exhibitors and visitors in line with Abu Dhabi’s reputation as the region’s premier destination for business tourism, events and conferences.”

Reflecting its status as a leading global forum in its sector, this year’s ADIFE will also see the announcement and signing of many contracts and partnerships between government agencies and private sector entities, along with productive meetings between buyers and suppliers operating within the various supply chains. The exhibition will be held in conjunction with the ninth Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition, co-organised by Capital Events, part of ADNEC Group and in partnership withthe Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation (KIADPAI), which connects buyers and suppliers to explore promising opportunities in this vital and growing sector.

ADIFE will further feature a wide range of activities that will shed light on the most important and vital topics related to food production, as well as various hospitality and food services running alongside workshops and global competitions that will highlight innovation and new technology.