By Faridat Salifu
The United Arab Emirates has launched a global artificial intelligence ecosystem aimed at helping farmers adapt to climate change, as extreme weather increasingly threatens food production and rural livelihoods worldwide.
The initiative, developed in partnership with the Gates Foundation, brings together governments, research institutions and technology organisations to accelerate the use of AI in agricultural innovation.
The platform is designed to support climate-resilient farming, improve productivity and strengthen food security, particularly for millions of smallholder farmers in climate-vulnerable regions.
Officials said the AI ecosystem will help transform agricultural research into practical solutions by improving access to data, predictive analytics and digital tools.
These technologies are expected to support the development of climate-resilient crops, early warning systems and decision-making tools that enable farmers to respond more effectively to droughts, floods and temperature shocks.
The platform also aims to close gaps between research institutions and farmers by enabling faster collaboration and knowledge sharing across borders.
By pooling data and expertise, the initiative seeks to shorten the time it takes for innovations to reach farmers’ fields, especially in low-income countries where climate impacts are most severe.
With agriculture employing a large share of the global poor, stakeholders say scaling AI-driven solutions could help stabilise food systems while protecting rural incomes.
The UAE said the ecosystem reflects its growing role in supporting global food security and climate action through technology-driven partnerships.
