ADIFE and Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition commence with wide-scale international participation

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court of the UAE, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Khalifa International Date Palm Award and Agricultural Innovation has inaugurated, today, the activities of the 1st edition of Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE), in conjunction with the 8th edition of Abu Dhabi Date Palm Exhibition. 

The two Exhibitions are held until 8 December at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The Exhibitions’ opening was attended by HE Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, HE Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, and number of officials from the government and private sectors. 

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court of the UAE, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ADAFSA, said that under the leadership of The UAE President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is increasing efforts to consolidate sustainable development. The UAE is showcasing an inspiring experience to the world based on meeting the requirements of economic, social and environmental development.

In a statement on the launch of ADIFE, His Highness said that sustainable development efforts in agriculture and F&B are based on building a sustainable sector that is empowered by technology. This helps achieve food and water security, enhances the food systems’ supporting sectors, developing and improving agricultural productivity, and driving research and innovation. 

His Highness said the UAE has taken important steps to establish the bases of agricultural development, and confront the challenges of climate change and the scarcity of water resource. These efforts have contributed to raising the operational efficiency and productivity of agricultural and food systems, topping the list of indicators of food security as well as food quality and safety. It has also led to reduction of food loss and waste, as well as achieving high rates of self-sufficiency for many food commodities.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the advanced level achieved by national and Arab companies specialized in the production and processing of food, in terms of their reliance on modern technology, which increases the chances of doubling local production. It also increases dependency on local products to meet growing food needs. His Highness pointed out that ADIFE represents an important opportunity to expand productivity and sustainability by learning about the latest technologies in food production and processing, and building investment partnerships that support the agricultural sector and achieve sustainable food security.

His Excellency Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, said ADIFE is an opportunity to learn about global expertise that enhance the concepts of food security, safety, and health, and helps achieve the aspirations of the wise leadership towards becoming leaders in food security. He noted that it is also an opportunity for local companies and manufacturers to learn about the latest technologies and innovations in the field of food production, in addition to providing many opportunities to sign deals and partnership agreements between government and private sector establishments.

Al Ameri lauded ADNEC Group’s efforts for organizing the Exhibition and presenting it in a way befitting of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and thanked the sponsors for their great support for the event in its first edition. He affirmed that ADAFSA, as a strategic partner, is committed to establishing ADIFE as the most prominent exhibition in the field of food, beverages, and hospitality in the Middle East and the world.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Managing Director and CEO of ADNEC Group, said: “We at ADNEC Group are committed to contributing actively to supporting national efforts to advance the present and future of various sectors and promising industries, in order to enhance their competitiveness on the regional and global levels. The organization of the two Exhibitions comes in line with the strategy of ADNEC Group to support the food, beverages, and hospitality industries in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which is one of the most vital sectors on which the vision of our wise leadership for the next fifty years is based. The Exhibition will provide a global platform to showcase the latest innovations, establish partnerships, and discover investment opportunities in this pivotal and important sector.

“The 1st edition of ADIFE, organized by ADNEC Group in cooperation with ADAFSA, is witnessing wide-scale local and international participation, with more than 445 specialized companies from 41 countries from all over the world, including 20 national pavilions,” he added.

The 1st edition of ADIFE hosts more than 30 prominent international speakers in panels focusing on 3 main topics: food security, investments and innovation in food production, and the food and beverages industry.

It will also feature accompanying events such as the Global Buyers Program, which seeks to bolster partnerships within the supply chain, along with the World Gourmet Show, ADIFE Innovation Awards, UAE National Coffee Championships, and the International Latte Art Championship, which is held for the first time in its history outside the Italian city of Milan.

The Global Buyers Program, which seeks to bolster and support partnerships within the supply chain, as well as providing new products. The Program provides an opportunity for meeting suppliers and making new trade deals, in addition to having a dedicated pavilion at the Exhibition to help global buyers meet with a specific set of exhibitors in order to sign strategic partnerships with active players in the supply chain through a series of interactive sessions.

The Exhibition will also feature the 2nd edition of the World Gourmet Show in Abu Dhabi, where professional chefs will provide educational sessions for visitors and compete for valuable awards. The event will be held at the unique World Gourmet Show Kitchen which has an aquaculture garden, providing guests with valuable information about this gardening style that uses water and nutrients instead of soil. It also features a drinks lab featuring many types of luxury drinks and coffee. The Show is held for 7 hours each day, and is rife with educational sessions and shows, and exciting competitions among participants.

The 1st edition of the Exhibition will also host the ADIFE Panels, a diverse number of dialogue panels held for 3 days during the event in the presence of international chefs and senior officials in the sector. The panels will be focusing on 3 main topics: food security, investments and innovation in food production, and the food and beverages industry.

The event will also host the ADIFE Innovation Awards, a platform for showcasing the most innovative and distinguished products in the food and beverages sector, allowing visitors to keep up with new global trends, emphasizing the role of investing in innovation in outlining the future of the sector. Exhibitors can sign up for participating in the Awards, which are supervised by specialists and a panel of judges of sector veterans, providing the exhibitors with a special opportunity to showcase their new products to thousands of attendees.

Another event during the Exhibition is the International Latte Art Championship, which is held for the first time in its history outside Italy, and is one of the most important international competitions in this field. This exclusive edition will be attended by Luigi Lupi, founder of the Latte Art Coffee School and the creator of the school’s grading system and its globally-recognized certificate.

ADIFE will also shed light on the rapid growth the in the coffee sector as the most widely-consumed beverage in the world, featuring two championships certified by international coffee associations: the UAE National Coffee Championships, and the Gourmet Championship which serve as qualifiers for the International Coffee Championship 2023.

The Exhibition is expected to witness the announcement of many contracts and deals and the signing of partnership agreements between a wide range of government institutions and private sector companies, in addition to a series of bilateral meetings between buyers and sellers in the various supply chains.

In addition, the Exhibition will include a variety of accompanying activities and events that highlight the most important issues related to food production, and various hospitality and food services, as well as a number of international workshops and competitions.