Aquaculture key to meeting UAE's 2051 food security target

Aquaculture is ‘the straightest and easiest road’ for the UAE, which imports 80 per cent of its food, to reach its self-set target of grabbing the Number 1 position in the Global Food Security Index by 2051, a leading aquaculture expert said.

The UAE, which is a major seafood export destination of leading supplier countries, has to make huge investments in aquaculture, especially if it wants to meet the food security target by 2051. The country, which has an estimated seafood market of $1.4 billion, has made a good start by actively encouraging innovative, technology-driven agricultural practices, which include vertical and smart farming, hydroponics and aeroponics, Shaji Baby John, chairman of Kings Infra Ventures, one of India's leading companies focussing on sustainable aquaculture technology.

“The UAE offers an ocean of possibilities for Indian entrepreneurs. If the water resources under the desert sands can be utilised for aquaculture production, it will in fact be as important or even more important than the discovery of oil and the desert will become an oasis of economic prosperity,” said John.

“If India and the UAE, which is ranked as the ninth seafood export destination of the south Asian nation, can come together, they can alter the world fisheries scenario by creating a win-win situation. The UAE gets food security in addition to becoming the largest reprocessing hub catering premium seafood and aquaculture products to global markets and Indian businesses can utilise the world class amenities and infrastructure offered by the UAE to scale their businesses and launch global brands,” he said.

In 2023-24 fiscal, the UAE accounted for 2.15 per cent share of India export of 1.78 million metric tonnes of seafood worth $7.38 billion. Frozen shrimp remained the major export item in quantity and value with the Middle East accounting for 28,571 metric tonnes of it.

Estimates show that the UAE currently consumes about 2,20,000 tonnes of fish a year, over 85 per cent of which is imported with aquaculture providing only 2.0 per cent of the fish consumed locally. This is despite the UAE being home to a number of fish hatcheries including Sheikh Khalifa Marine Research Centre and Marine Studies Centre with a combined annual production capacity of 35 million, John noted, adding: “That explains why the UAE’s aquaculture needs huge investment. The government expects this investment to flow from the private sector since it describes the private sector “as a crucial backbone in our blueprint for aquaculture in the UAE.”