A high-level delegation from Abu Dhabi, led by the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), has participated in the Future-Food Tech Summit in Chicago, showcasing the AgriFood Growth and Water Abundance (AGWA) cluster launched earlier this month by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

Led by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) and ADIO, AGWA is an integrated economic cluster that aims to play a leading role in global efforts to tackle food shortages and water scarcity, and will be a global hub for novel food and ingredients, as well as technologies to increase the efficient use of water resources.

The delegation at the Future-Food Tech Summit in Chicago featured senior representatives from ADIO, Abu Dhabi’s government agency responsible for inward investment; Hub71, Abu Dhabi's global tech ecosystem; the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), an advanced technology research centre in Abu Dhabi; as well as Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the food safety, food security and biosecurity regulator in Abu Dhabi.

Participation in the Future-Food Tech Summit, one of world’s biggest gatherings for leaders of the global food industry, marks the latest in a series of activities by Abu Dhabi since the launch of AGWA. Leading Abu Dhabi research centres, including the Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), ADIA Lab, Khalifa University, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and Hub71 agreed to collaborate to accelerate innovation, talent development and advanced research, to tackle food shortages and water scarcity globally.

Additionally, ADIO, ADAFSA, and the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (ADQCC) announced that they will collaborate to streamline regulatory approvals and support mechanisms to enable the deployment of more efficient and effective solutions in the agriculture, food and water sectors.

The AGWA agreements also include major infrastructure partners such as Abu Dhabi Ports Company, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC), and Masdar City, which have agreed to collaborate with ADIO in creating an enabling environment for AGWA cluster companies.

The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI), the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) also announced the formation of a steering committee that will work to create the regulatory environment necessary to accelerate Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global food and water hub on the national level.

AGWA also featured the first innovators into its ecosystem with partnerships announced with Believer Meats to develop commercial production of cultivated meat capabilities in Abu Dhabi, as well as Swiss-based NUOS, which will commence operations in Abu Dhabi and establish an innovation centre and manufacturing facilities for alternative protein production.

Fatima Al Dhaheri, head of the AGWA Cluster, said, “Our US tour has been instrumental in forging strategic alliances in food and water innovation. We identified promising opportunities for collaboration with global leaders, and showcased AGWA's vision to a global audience. Together with our partners, we can drive innovation, develop advanced solutions, and tackle global challenges, significantly enhancing the scale, diversity, and accessibility of food ecosystems worldwide.”

During the Future Food-Tech Summit, ADIO held a breakout session titled: Building a Global, Sustainable Hub for Novel Food to Ensure Food and Water Security, which highlighted Abu Dhabi’s strategic initiatives pioneering food and water solutions globally, with a particular focus on how Abu Dhabi will be addressing constraints through the establishment of the AGWA cluster.

The Abu Dhabi delegation also visited San Francisco and Los Angeles as part of the US tour. It is expected that Abu Dhabi’s AGWA’s cluster will contribute AED90 billion in incremental gross domestic product to the Abu Dhabi economy, creating more than 60,0000 new jobs and attracting AED128 billion in investment.