UAE urges food sector to join global water talks

The United Arab Emirates is calling on the food industry to join global discussions on water ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi in December.

Speaking at the PALT Conference during Global Food Week UAE 2026, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability Abdulla Balalaa said more than 95 per cent of food produced on land depends on freshwater, and agriculture accounts for almost 70 per cent of global freshwater use.

With the world’s population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, Balalaa said the challenge was to produce more food while using less water.

“If we need to produce 50 per cent more food, we cannot simply assume that we will have 50 per cent more water to support this. We have to get more value from every drop of water,” he said.

He highlighted the potential of new technologies, including alternative proteins, cultivated foods and algae, to make food systems more resilient and resource-efficient.

The UAE is inviting food producers, investors, technology companies and researchers to take part in the December conference and urges the food industry to join global water discussions ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from December 8-10.