Mariam Almheiri, the Head of the International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, and Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, recently met to review the ongoing progress of a transformative $200 million agricultural innovation initiative. Announced at COP28 UAE, this initiative seeks to harness artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology to address the challenges posed by climate change to global food systems.
In 2023, the Gates Foundation and the UAE government collaborated on this significant investment aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices, particularly for smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. Since its announcement, the funding has supported various organizations, including CGIAR, which work to develop sustainable solutions for improving agricultural livelihoods across the globe.
“The UAE has taken concrete steps to turn pledges and investments into action. The groundbreaking work on display is a testament to the UAE’s commitment and global leadership on food security and agricultural innovation,” said Mariam Almheiri, highlighting the nation’s proactive stance on tackling global agricultural challenges.
The bilateral meeting, which took place at the Emirates Palace, was followed by a tour of four key projects that have been funded as part of this partnership. These projects aim to use technological advancements to address food security issues and improve agricultural practices. The key initiatives include:
- CGIAR AI Hub and AgrilLLM – This project focuses on utilizing large language models (LLMs) to automate agriculture extension services, aiming to support smallholder farmers in resource-constrained areas affected by climate change.
- International Red Palm Weevil Consortium – This initiative brings together international stakeholders to combat the Red Palm Weevil, which poses a serious threat to palm trees globally.
- Technical Assistance Program – Focused on developing analytical products that support 15 countries in their national climate action plans related to agriculture.
- AIM for Scale Weather and AI-based Weather Forecasting – This project aims to provide scalable and cost-effective weather forecasting services to improve farming practices, impacting millions of farmers in low- and middle-income countries.
“I am delighted to have Bill Gates as our guest of honour here to see first-hand the progress being made to tackle the global agricultural challenges we face as a result of climate change,” added Mariam Almheiri.
Also present at the event was Faisal Al Bannai, Adviser to the UAE President on Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs, and Secretary General of Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Technology Research Council (ATRC), who emphasized the importance of AI-driven agri-tech solutions.
“Meeting with Bill Gates highlighted our shared vision of harnessing AI and technology to address global challenges. With AI71’s agri-tech solutions powered by TII’s Falcon models, we aim to enhance food security, sustainability, and inclusive growth,” Al Bannai said, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to innovation and global partnerships
