DUBAI: Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, recently welcomed Bill Gates, Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to the UAE. The visit marked the one-year update of the Gates Foundation-UAE partnership on agricultural innovation and food system transformation, announced during COP28. The partnership, which involved a US$200 million combined investment, aims to harness AI and technology to address climate change’s impact on food systems.
Since its announcement, this investment has supported key organizations like CGIAR, which are developing agricultural innovations to help smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. These innovations are crucial in tackling the challenges posed by climate change on global food systems.
During his visit, Gates attended a bilateral meeting with Almheiri and other dignitaries, including Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President on Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs. The meeting was followed by a tour of four key projects funded by the partnership. These included:
1. CGIAR AI Hub and AgrilLLM: Exploring AI models to provide agricultural services to smallholders.
2. International Red Palm Weevil Consortium: Aiming to tackle the threat of the Red Palm Weevil to palm trees globally.
3. Technical Assistance: Supporting 15 countries in developing core reports for improving food systems.
4. AIM for Scale Weather & AI-based Weather Forecasting: Focused on improving weather forecasts to support farmers in low-income countries.
Mariam Almheiri emphasized the UAE’s dedication to transforming pledges into action, stating, “This groundbreaking work showcases the UAE’s global leadership in food security.” Faisal Al Bannai highlighted the shared vision of using AI to drive sustainability and growth, aiming to create a better future through innovation.
