Day: March 30, 2024

Marib Governorate witnessed on Friday six mass marches under the slogan “We are coming in the tenth year, and Palestine is our first cause” in support of the Palestinian people.

Where the people of the districts of the Southern Square gathered in a mass march in Al-Juba Square, in which the participants raised slogans and chanted slogans stressing the continued steadfastness in the face of aggression and support for the Palestinian cause.

The Sirwah district witnessed a mass march, in the presence of the governor of the governorate, Ali Tuaiman, in which the participants confirmed the continuation of marches, general mobilization campaigns and alert to confront the US-British aggression, and to support the Palestinian people.

Majzar district witnessed a mass march of the people of the northern square districts, in which the crowd blessed the operations of the Yemeni armed forces against Israeli and American ships. We call for the expansion of qualitative operations in support of the brothers in Gaza.

Duri
ng a mass rally, the people of Harib al-Qaramish district called on the peoples of the Arab and Islamic nation to escalate their positions of support and support for the Palestinian people by various means and capabilities, the most important of which is the complete boycott of American and Israeli goods.

The people of Bidbideh district expressed pride in the positions of the leader of the revolution and the operations of the armed forces to deter the American-Zionist enemy, and to triumph over the oppression of the people of Gaza.

The people of the Qaniya region condemned the continued Zionist-American aggression on the Gaza Strip and the international silence towards the daily massacres committed by the occupying entity.

A statement issued by the marches announced the steadfastness and continuation of the principled position in support of the Palestinian people, reiterating the continuation of the two million marches in all arenas as a jihadist act, a responsible movement and a response to the call of Go
d Almighty.

The statement of the marches of the people of Marib stressed that any reckless American-British attack on the Yemeni people on the ground will be met with hundreds of thousands of mujahideen heroes.

He blessed the jihadist operations of the resistance in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the Yemeni jihadist operations in support of the Palestinian people. He called on the Arab and Islamic peoples to take practical action to support the Palestinian people and support the brothers in Gaza.

The statement renewed the call to the peoples of the nation to boycott American and Israeli goods and companies that support them as the least duty and accessible to all. He stressed that the Yemeni people are coming in the tenth year with advanced military capabilities to protect Yemen, support the Palestinian people and confront the conspiracies of enemies.

Source: Yemen News Agency

ABU DHABI: Three ships and a barge finally set sail from Cyprus today following better weather conditions, carrying hundreds of tonnes of food destined for northern Gaza.

This second shipment, which carries hundreds of tonnes, has enough food to prepare more than one million meals, and includes self stable and ready-to-eat items such as rice, pasta, flour, legumes, canned vegetables, and proteins.

The historic opening of the maritime route to Gaza by sea is conducted by World Central Kitchen and Open Arms, in close partnership with the United Arab Emirates, and the support of Cyprus.

By opening this maritime aid corridor with Open Arms and Cyprus, the UAE and World Central Kitchen are able to scale humanitarian efforts in Gaza.

To date, World Central Kitchen has provided more than 43 million meals by land, air, and sea to Palestinians facing starvation.

The UAE has delivered 26,000 tonnes of urgent supplies, including food, water, and medical items, dispatched through 229 flights, 19 airdrops, 1,035 truc
ks, and three ships.

While this initiative is getting desperately needed food to the Palestinians, the opening of land crossings remains paramount to avert famine.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has affirmed its commitment to reducing food loss and waste (FLW) across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This is part of the Food Loss and Waste Reduction Strategy launched last year, along with the accompanying awareness campaign “Together Blessings Last”. The strategy aims to encourage positive behaviour among all segments of society to reduce FLW.

This FLW strategy is part of efforts to achieve the objectives of the UAE National Food Security Strategy, which aims to reduce FLW by 50 percent by 2030, in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal on responsible production and consumption.

The strategy includes many initiatives and programmes, foremost of which is the awareness campaign under the theme “Together Blessings Last” aimed at changing behaviour regarding food production and consumption from farm to table, and implementing training programmes for workers in food agricultural establishments. Additionally, it includes awareness cam
paigns targeting various segments of society, urging them to rationalise consumption and reduce waste to ensure food security sustainability, as good practices in handling food help to reduce food spoilage, which is one of the most important causes of FLW throughout the food chain.

Additionally, ADAFSA has launched several initiatives, programmes and awareness campaigns to reduce FLW, starting with food production and consumption from farm to fork. In the area of animal wealth, ADAFSA launched the Fodder Market Programme, which is linked to production based on livestock ownership indicators. This programme has resulted in a significant reduction in food waste and optimal use of production inputs. The programme also introduced a new feed composition for ruminants of 50 percent concentrates and 50 percent forage. This reduces the FLW of feed and provides a good economic and production return for farmers.

ADAFSA has also launched the Innovative Solution for Broiler Feeding initiative, which aims to reduce feed
costs and manage feed programmes to achieve food sustainability and food security. Animal feed is the biggest constraint to livestock development and high production and import costs.

In addition, ADAFSA works with strategic partners such as the Department of Municipalities and Transport and charitable organisations such as the Red Crescent and the Bin Ham Foundation to ensure the safe and healthy disposal of brucellosis-infected animals. This is done by slaughtering them in approved slaughterhouses, following heat treatment procedures and using their meat. This has helped to strengthen biosecurity in the emirate, ensure human and animal safety, and benefit charitable organisations by using the meat from the slaughtered animals.

In the agricultural sector, ADAFSA has issued 36 guidelines for maintaining fruit quality after harvest, covering 41 crops. It has also conducted numerous awareness workshops for farmers on the importance of following proper post-harvest practices. In addition, more than 1,500 farms
have obtained the Abu Dhabi Good Agricultural Practices (AD GAP) certificate, which is the local version of the Global Good Agricultural Practices programme. This programme is based on global best practices that ensure product quality and safety, improve the efficiency of fertiliser, pesticide and water use, and provide a good opportunity to market local produce that meets the best international food safety standards. ADAFSA also educates farmers on proper practices to reduce production losses through field visits and training in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Additionally, the Authority is keen to adopt and enable modern technologies and practices in crop production. Key initiatives include the transition to climate-smart practices, the Advanced Agriculture 4.0 programme, and post-harvest procedures and techniques.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: The UAE Pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha won gold for the ‘Best Self-Built Pavilion’, culminating its participation in the six-month Expo 2023 Doha programme.

The UAE Pavilion’s win came in recognition of its alignment with Expo 2023 Doha’s themes, innovative landscape design, thoughtful plant species selection, use of sustainable materials, and engaging environmental and cultural programming. Additionally, the UAE Pavilion was recognised for its guest experience, which reflected the UAE’s culture and sustainable journey.

Spanning 2,290 sqm and designed by the Bjarke Ingles Group (BIG), the Pavilion’s design was inspired by the resilient Ghaf tree, the national tree of the UAE, embodying its entirety from its complex root structure to its branches and leaves, and featured rammed earth walls built from locally sourced materials and a roof made with palm leaves. The UAE Pavilion also included thorough landscaping, with a garden full of native and adaptive plants found in the UAE, with groupings of edible
plants, fruit trees, medicinal plants, flowers, spices, shrubs, grasses, industrial plants, and perennials.

Commenting on the win, Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State, said, ‘Receiving the Golden award for the Best Self-Built Pavilion, underscores the strategic foresight of our leadership, and their unwavering support that propel the nation’s distinguished presence in regional and international forums. We are committed to always participating as a country and pavilion in exceptional ways, showcasing our achievements across different sectors.’

She added, ‘We are honoured to be receiving this prestigious award which reflects the dedicated and relentless efforts of diverse teams within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and the National Projects Office, under the guidance of H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects. Over the past six months, the UAE Pavilion showcased the UAE’s
rich agricultural heritage through its unique and innovative design, while fostering connections with Qatar and the global community.’

‘We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Qatar for such an impressive global gathering, and I also extend our gratitude to the organisers, the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) for convening a successful horticultural expo that gathers great minds and ideas as we come together to create a more sustainable future,” Al Kaabi concluded.

The UAE Pavilion guest experience comprised six multi-sensory interventions designed by Stuttgart-based Atelier Brckner (ATB), an experience design firm whose other notable work includes contributing to the Museum of the Future. Themed ‘Nurturing Legacy’, the pavilion presented a deep understanding of the UAE’s agricultural legacy and the nation’s dreamers and pioneers, who are contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

On this occa
sion, Ibrahim Salem Humaid Alalawi, Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha, said, ‘We are thrilled to celebrate this award with the entire UAE Pavilion team and our guests, who made our experience in Doha truly special and unforgettable over the past six months. The UAE Pavilion has showcased our nation’s sustainability journey and its story with the world in Qatar, showing how our innovators and researchers look to our natural environment for inspiration to co-create solutions for a more sustainable and resilient future for all. More than 20 diverse programmes were also curated to engage innovators, researchers, and guests, with a particular focus on empowering the next generation.’

The UAE Pavilion’s programming included panel discussions by featured dreamers and experts on agricultural innovations and food security; educational workshops for children to spark curiosity about the UAE’s natural environment and sustainability; creative sessions that encouraged environmental mindfulness; a
nd live cooking demonstrations featuring salt-tolerant plants that thrive in the UAE’s desert environment. The sessions were organised in collaboration with various UAE-based entities, including the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), Halophyte Kitchen, Lest We Forget, SWALIF Collective, and Early Starters.

‘Nurturing Legacy’ was the UAE’s third presentation at an International Horticultural Exposition, and was overseen by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in partnership with the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and the National Projects Office. The UAE first participated in this kind of Horticulture Expo in Beijing 2019, then with ‘Salt Water Cities: Where Land Meets Sea’ at the Floriade Expo 2022 in Almere, The Netherlands.

Source: Emirates News Agency