One year ago, the UAE’s Cop28 presidency placed food systems at the centre of global climate action. The UAE and a broad coalition of global partners mobilised the political support of 160 heads of state and government to adapt and transform their food systems to respond to the imperative of climate change.
With climate finance now the focus of global attention at Cop29, agricultural and food systems transformation, particularly for smallholder farmers who collectively feed billions of people, stands out as one of the most urgent and effective investments that can be made.
Floods, droughts and heatwaves are devastating crop yields in many of the world’s most vulnerable countries, many of which experienced at least one month of extreme drought in 2023. Such increases in adverse climate shocks and weather are becoming persistent and severe; a dire “new normal” that threatens to push an additional 40 million Africans into extreme poverty by 2030.
The negative impacts on health and nutrition will also be high. Research shows that by 2050, rising CO2 levels will reduce the zinc content in essential crops by up to 10 per cent, iron by 5 per cent and protein by 8 per cent – nutrients crucial for child development, maternal health and the ability to fight off disease.
In this context, successful agricultural adaptation strategies will be critical to ensuring climate-vulnerable people are able to improve their lives and livelihoods in the face of deteriorating conditions.
Agricultural adaptation takes many forms around the world, but nearly all of them rely somehow on harnessing the power of innovation.
Among them are: using digital soil maps that can guide restoration of degraded lands; cultivating lesser-known local crops that thrive in harsh conditions; planting crops bred for drought and flood tolerance and high nutrition; and raising indigenous livestock breeds that have adapted to extreme heat.
Isolated partnerships, however successful, cannot achieve the scale of change needed
Dozens of such solutions have been developed by national agricultural research centres in partnership with the global research network Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, whose roadmap for climate-smart solutions could reach 500 million farmers by 2030, potentially reducing agricultural emissions by one gigaton annually.
But, as promising as these solutions are, they have yet to reach the vast majority of smallholder farmers, and the gulf between available climate finance and actual needs is staggering. Only 4 per cent of climate finance flows to food-related projects globally, and a mere 1 per cent addresses climate threats to smallholder farmers. Supporting agricultural adaptation in developing countries will require up to $850 billion by 2030, but the return is clear: just $16 billion a year could save 78 million people from chronic hunger.
Now, less than a year after the UAE and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation cemented a new partnership, we have launched two wide-reaching initiatives with the potential to benefit millions in farming communities around the world. A new AI initiative will develop open-access large language models to support farmers and agricultural extension agents with decision-making.
Built using the UAE’s open-access Falcon technology, and anchored in a close collaboration with the world’s leading international organisations focused on food and agriculture, including CGIAR, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the “AgriLLM” will be a pioneering first effort to ensure that the power of generative AI serves the unique needs of smallholder producers in low and middle-income countries ethically and equitably.
Meanwhile, our new AIM for Scale Weather Partnership will scale access to improved weather information to farmers in low and middle-income countries, in partnership with leading development banks, technical partners and AI engineers. When it comes to investing in farmers’ access to reliable weather information, the evidence is clear that the benefits can far outweigh costs, and in some cases by as much as 100 times.
Following initial pilot activities in partnership with the Indian government during this year's monsoon season, the AIM for Scale weather partnership will seek to expand its reach to tens of millions of farmers in India by the end of next year, and then millions more in Africa, other parts of Asia and Latin America, where half of the populations currently lack access to reliable weather forecasting.
These innovation partnerships are being developed as global public goods, ensuring equitable access to transformative technology.
But climate change is inextricably linked not only to agriculture but also to poverty and diseases that affect millions, particularly in low-income countries. Global warming is driving the spread and shift of infectious diseases into new regions, straining health systems and putting already vulnerable populations at risk. Among the growing threats are neglected tropical diseases, which impact many countries that depend heavily on local smallholder farm production.
Recognising these connections, another group of partners joined forces at Cop28 to pledge a collective $777 million towards combatting NTDs globally. This included the expansion of the Reaching the Last Mile Fund, a donor collaborative founded by President Sheikh Mohamed in partnership with the Gates Foundation, from $100 million to a landmark $500 million.
By working hand in hand with countries, the Fund seeks to eliminate two NTDs – lymphatic filariasis and river blindness – from the continent of Africa, freeing tens of millions of people from the threat of these devastating but preventable diseases.
Such progress in global health and development shows what's possible when governments, philanthropy, the private sector and global institutions work together, and hundreds of powerful partnerships operate across the Global South. But isolated partnerships, however successful, cannot achieve the scale of change needed.
As climate change continues to devastate crops and amplify disease burden in the world's most vulnerable regions, we need broader commitment – particularly from countries that have contributed most to this crisis. New agreements must dramatically increase funding for proven solutions without adding to developing countries' debt burden.
Mariam Almheiri is head of the International Affairs Office of the Presidential Court and Council Member of the International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council
Rodger Voorhies is president of global growth and opportunity at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Jurassic%20Park
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Spielberg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sam%20Neill%2C%20Jeff%20Goldblum%20and%20Richard%20Attenborough%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Match info
Arsenal 0
Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
THE SCORES
Ireland 125 all out
(20 overs; Stirling 72, Mustafa 4-18)
UAE 125 for 5
(17 overs, Mustafa 39, D’Silva 29, Usman 29)
UAE won by five wickets
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
