UAE Partners With Asian Development Bank to Strengthen Food Security Across Asia and the Pacific
The UAE has signed a new partnership with Asian Development Bank (ADB) aimed at advancing agricultural innovation and strengthening food security across Asia and the Pacific through AI-powered and evidence-based farming solutions.
The agreement, signed by the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court on the sidelines of the 59th Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting, includes a USD 1.5 million technical cooperation partnership designed to help scale agricultural technologies and improve farmer livelihoods across eight countries in the region.
The initiative will support agricultural innovation programs in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand, and the Maldives, working alongside governments to integrate digital and AI-driven agricultural tools into national farming systems.
The partnership is also supported by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) and will be operationalized through the Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) — an initiative backed by the UAE and the Gates Foundation.
AIM for Scale forms part of Abu Dhabi’s broader AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, launched in late 2025 to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence and technology-driven agricultural solutions for farmers worldwide.
The program focuses on scaling evidence-based innovations such as:
- AI-powered weather forecasting
- Digital agricultural advisory services
- Livestock productivity enhancement tools
- Sustainable farming technologies
Khalfan Al Matrooshi said international cooperation remains central to addressing global food security challenges.
“Through Abu Dhabi’s AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, the UAE is convening partners, expertise, and financing to strengthen food security globally,” he said. “Today’s partnership with the Asian Development Bank and JFPR reflects what can be achieved when international partners work together with a shared purpose.”
The agreement builds on the UAE’s broader efforts to support agricultural resilience and food systems globally. Earlier this year, the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court allocated USD 5 million in AIM for Scale grants to institutions including:
- Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
- University of Notre Dame Keough School of Global Affairs
- C4Impact
These grants support agricultural innovation projects across several African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Rwanda.
The latest partnership further expands Abu Dhabi’s AI agricultural ecosystem into Asia, less than six months after the platform’s launch.
Qingfeng Zhang said digital technologies and innovative financing are critical to addressing rising food insecurity across Asia and the Pacific.
“Collaborative agreements such as this help strengthen agricultural systems, improve productivity, and accelerate the transition toward more resilient and sustainable food systems,” Zhang said.
Meanwhile, Shigeo Shimizu highlighted Japan’s ongoing support for innovation-led agricultural initiatives through JFPR.
Paul Winters added that the collaboration aims to ensure millions of farmers gain access to practical and evidence-backed innovations capable of improving livelihoods and long-term agricultural resilience.
The signing also builds on the UAE’s wider global agricultural commitments, including the USD 200 million UAE–Gates Foundation partnership announced during COP28 and the UAE’s participation in the CGIAR System Council as the first donor from the SWANA region.
