#Experts:

– Leveraging technology and media to enhance food security is a strategic necessity for the future

– Transparency and rapid communication response are critical elements in building public trust during crises

– The Agriculture Innovation for Climate initiative has succeeded in shaping a new global narrative on the importance of agricultural innovation

TRENDS Research & Advisory continued its active participation in the 14th edition of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) as a strategic partner. The TRENDS platform drew significant attention from senior officials, academics, media professionals, and distinguished guests. H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, visited the TRENDS platform, where he was briefed on the center’s participation and the range of research activities it is organizing at the IGCF.

H.E. Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, honored TRENDS Research & Advisory as a strategic partner of the IGCF for the third consecutive year, recognizing the center’s contribution through a series of events, research initiatives, and studies focused on innovation and food security.

Empowering Communities

As part of its contribution to IGCF, TRENDS Research & Advisory organized a symposium titled “Government Communication as a Tool for Empowering Communities in Addressing Food Crises.” Participants emphasized the importance of effective government communication and media tools in guiding communities toward adaptation, smart responses, and raising public awareness of food-related challenges, in addition to coordinating national efforts to combat food insecurity and promoting sustainable local production as the first line of defense against global market fluctuations.

Specialists in the symposium, moderated by Ali Abdullah Al Ali, Director of TRENDS’ Dubai Office, noted that government communication has become a central element in enabling societies to understand food risks and respond effectively. This requires adopting a transparent and proactive communication approach, supporting national policies to combat food insecurity, and redefining how community messages are crafted during times of crisis.

Sustainable Food Security

Opening the discussions, Hajar Bakhit Al-Ketbi, Director of the Government Communication Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, stated that leveraging technology and media to enhance food security in the UAE is not an option but a strategic necessity for the future. She explained that the country’s leadership recognized early on that addressing food security challenges requires unprecedented technological leaps to overcome issues related to water scarcity, soil conditions, and a hot climate. She stressed that the adoption of this approach by society and partners depends on the effectiveness of communication messages and their ability to transform agricultural innovation into a community culture, with a positive impact across the sector and in strengthening sustainable food security.

A Strategic Communication Tool

Al-Ketbi highlighted that the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, launched by the UAE in cooperation with the United States, was not just a partnership to fund projects, but a strategic communication tool that successfully created a new global narrative on the importance of agricultural innovation in combating climate change. This approach, she noted, reached its peak during COP28, which became the largest platform for government communication promoting sustainability.

She added that through a number of initiatives and workshops teaching students and community members how to grow crops, the UAE has succeeded in transforming technology from a complex concept into a practical practice that can be adopted at home and in schools. This has created a unique community dynamic where individuals feel they are true partners in achieving a national vision.

Food Culture and Identity

On the importance of linking communication messages with food identity and local culture, Al-Ketbi explained that the UAE’s strategic approach to government communication does not aim merely to persuade the public, but to leverage the values they already hold. “When we connect messages to food identity, we are not only telling people ‘do not waste food because global figures warn against it,’ but rather that preserving food from waste is one of our deeply rooted values and a blessing we must protect,” she said. This, she noted, is clearly reflected in the national initiative to reduce food loss and waste, aptly named “Ne’mah”, the Arabic word for “boon”.

Rapid Communication Response

Badr Hassan Al-Shehhi, Director of Communication and Community Engagement Department at the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, emphasized that government transparency and the speed of communication response are critical elements in building public trust during crises. In an age of rapid information dissemination across multiple platforms, government transparency becomes a necessity. Withholding information or remaining silent leads to loss of trust and reputation, as well as the spread of rumors, particularly during crises and challenges that require swift engagement.

Transparency and a Proactive Approach

Al-Shehhi explained that all government entities and institutions in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE operate with a high level of coordination to ensure effective crisis response, while adhering to the principles of effective emergency communication. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, he noted, adopts a proactive approach to crisis management. Its communication plan includes procedures for handling all crises related to the agricultural and food sectors, with transparency, clarity, and consistency of information at the forefront, alongside coordinated messaging with other relevant government entities.

Al-Shehhi added that the COVID-19 crisis was a pivotal experience that demonstrated the Authority’s ability to embody its principles and reinforce the value of transparency. This was evident in the early adoption of preventive measures in restaurants and agricultural and food facilities, which contributed to early containment of the situation. In addition, immediate and transparent reporting of cases, coupled with daily and reliable updates of data and statistics, played a key role in curbing the spread of rumors.

Developing the Agricultural Sector

Dmitry Vadimovich Stasiulis, President of the International Organization for Eurasian Cooperation and Editor-in-Chief of Eurasian Dialogue Magazine, highlighted Russia’s experience in ensuring food security. He explained that Russia possesses vast agricultural resources, accounting for 20% of the world’s renewable arable land. The Russian Federation also holds 55% of the world’s black soil reserves, while agricultural land makes up 38.1% of its total territory. These figures underscore the country’s significant potential for agricultural development.

Stasiulis noted that Russia has adopted a key national document on food security that ensures an improved quality of life for citizens by guaranteeing sufficient food supplies, securing access to safe and high-quality food products, and developing the production of agricultural goods, raw materials, and foodstuffs.

He further explained that Russia’s food independence is measured by self-sufficiency levels in agricultural products, raw materials, and foodstuffs, including at least 95% for grains, 90% for sugar, and 90% for vegetable oil. He stressed that this approach constitutes a strategic path to safeguarding Russia’s food security.