Food security is a strategic imperative for a nation that imports approximately 90 per cent of its food supply. The UAE’s We the UAE 2031 food security targets combine domestic production expansion, strategic reserve deepening, supply chain diversification, and food technology investment to reduce vulnerability to global supply disruptions. The National Food Security Strategy targets a rise from 79th to a top-10 position on the Global Food Security Index.
Target vs. Actual Performance
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (est.) | 2031 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Food Security Index Rank | 34 | 30 | 27 | 24 | Top 10 |
| Domestic Food Production (% of consumption) | 10.8% | 11.5% | 12.4% | 13.2% | 20% |
| Strategic Food Reserves (months of supply) | 3.2 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 12 |
| Food Waste Reduction (% from 2022 baseline) | — | -8% | -14% | -18% | -50% |
| Arable Land Under Cultivation (hectares) | 72,000 | 78,000 | 84,500 | 90,000 | 130,000 |
Domestic Production by Category (2024)
| Category | Production (Tonnes) | Self-Sufficiency (%) | Growth (YoY) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetables | 428,000 | 22.4% | +8.6% |
| Dates | 345,000 | 100%+ (export) | +2.1% |
| Poultry | 68,000 | 45.2% | +12.4% |
| Eggs | 42,000 | 62.8% | +9.1% |
| Dairy | 186,000 | 38.6% | +7.8% |
| Fish and seafood | 82,000 | 34.2% | +5.4% |
| Red meat | 12,000 | 8.4% | +4.2% |
| Fruit (excl. dates) | 98,000 | 12.6% | +6.8% |
Progress Rate Analysis
The UAE has made measurable progress on food security, climbing from 34th to an estimated 24th on the Global Food Security Index since 2022. This improvement reflects both supply-side investments (vertical farming, controlled environment agriculture, aquaculture) and demand-side management (food waste reduction, strategic reserve expansion).
Domestic food production has grown from 10.8 per cent to 13.2 per cent of consumption, driven by rapid expansion in controlled environment agriculture. Abu Dhabi’s agri-tech hubs (including the Al Ain Region’s indoor farming cluster) and Dubai’s vertical farming investments have significantly expanded year-round vegetable production in a climate where traditional agriculture is severely constrained.
Strategic food reserves have expanded from 3.2 months to an estimated 5.8 months of supply, reflecting coordinated procurement by the Emirates Food Security Council. The 12-month target by 2031 requires continued investment in storage infrastructure and commodity procurement agreements.
Agri-Tech Investment Pipeline
| Project | Type | Output | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Vertical Farm Cluster | Indoor agriculture | 5,000 tonnes/year | Operational |
| Dubai Industrial City Food Park | Processing hub | 12,000 tonnes/year | Under construction |
| Fujairah Aquaculture Zone | Fish farming | 8,000 tonnes/year | Phase 1 operational |
| Al Ain Desert Agriculture R&D | Research | Technology transfer | Ongoing |
| Sharjah Food Processing Hub | Value-added processing | 6,000 tonnes/year | Planning |
Risk Factors
| Risk | Severity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Water scarcity for agriculture | High | Constrains production expansion ceiling |
| Global food price volatility | High | Increases import costs despite reserves |
| Energy costs for controlled environment agriculture | Medium | Affects commercial viability of agri-tech |
| Climate change impact on supply countries | Medium | Disrupts import source reliability |
| Logistics disruption (shipping route) | Medium | Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz vulnerability |
Outlook
The top-10 Global Food Security Index ranking is achievable given the UAE’s investment trajectory and the index’s weighting toward affordability, availability, and quality rather than self-sufficiency alone. The 20 per cent domestic production target is more challenging, as water constraints place a hard ceiling on conventional agriculture expansion. The strategy of investing in technology-intensive production methods (vertical farming, aquaculture, precision agriculture) is correct but capital-intensive. Strategic reserve expansion to 12 months requires significant storage infrastructure investment. The most realistic path to the top-10 ranking combines continued domestic production gains, reserve deepening, and supply chain diversification across 5-6 geographic corridors.
Current Assessment: On Track — steady improvement across all metrics, water constraint remains binding.