UAE Food Cluster: How Minister's 'Crazy Idea' Aims To Create 20,000 Jobs In Next 6 Years

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

The UAE's food cluster strategy which began as a“crazy idea” two years ago is now paving the way for the rest of the country, according to a minister. The initiative has ambitious plans for the future.

“We want to create more than 20,000 jobs in the next six years,” said Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, while speaking at the opening of the Future Food Forum which began in Dubai on Tuesday.“We want to increase the GDP by Dh10 billion from the clusters, and we want to increasing trading from 25 billion to 45 billion in the next couple of years. These are the targets that the cluster needs to work on.”

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He added that through the UAE Food cluster, the country aims to reduce its imports from 90 per cent to around 60 per cent and that it was an opportunity for all stakeholders to make a change.

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The seventh edition of the forum brought together experts from all over the world to advance trade facilitation and regional competitiveness. The event also announced the new Cluster Championship Award which will be the highest recognition defining UAE's food ecosystem. The award will celebrate companies that elevate excellence and advance UAE's role as a global benchmark.

Idea formation

According to Al Marri, the idea for a cluster began while in the“trenches” of the Covid-19 pandemic when he studied the theories of economist Professor Michael Porter's cluster economy model.

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism decided on the five clusters to focus on; the first was focused on food and food processing.

He said that he went to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and asked him to start a food cluster.“He accepted my crazy idea,” he recalled.

Last week, the UAE Cabinet approved the creation of a National Policy for Economic Clusters to boost sectoral capabilities. The policy is expected to increase the value of the country's foreign trade by Dh15 billion over the next seven years in key sectors including financial services, tourism and hospitality, space, communications and data analytics, and food.

Achievements

Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food Cluster described the cabinet approval a“dream come true moment” that will see a real partnership between the private companies and the public sector. He said that ever since the food cluster was established last year, the initiative has achieved several milestones.

“Over 1,000 meetings had taken place between the cluster and various verticals including farming, logistic and franchising,” he said.“All these stakeholders are essential to make this engine stronger.”

He added that the UAE was working with the food cluster in Switzerland to replicate a similar ecosystem locally. In a panel discussion, Dr Ian Roberts, Chief Technology Officer of Buhler explained how Switzerland had built a successful food cluster.“We have a strong education system which makes sure that a pipeline of strong talent is coming out,” he said.“We also have strong international food companies with strong R&D centres and an investment space with startup accelerators.”

Rania Abou Samra, Vice President of Head of Innovation and Research and Development at Nestle Middle East and North Africa added that the company, which partners with the Switzerland food cluster, was hoping to build similar partnerships with the UAE food cluster locally as well.

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