Abu Dhabi, 24^th September 2024: In line with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability and to ensure the best use of Abu Dhabi’s natural resources, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) and the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) have joined forces under a new agreement.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) will foster effective cooperation on ground water, soil, and biodiversity projects to protect the natural environment in support of the emirate’s sustainable development.

The partnership was signed in the presence of Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director of EAD and Chairperson of ICBA, by Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, the Secretary General of EAD, and Her Excellency Dr. Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, in the presence of both entities’ executive management teams.

This singing ceremony came after a tour for Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri at ICBA headquarter to view the latest agricultural innovations and technologies, and to learn about the center’s initiatives and projects in the field of modern biosaline agriculture.

On the occasion, Her Excellency Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak 'For over two decades, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has been and continues to be a key supporter of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, contributing significantly to our joint efforts in advancing sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation. This new Memorandum of Understanding reaffirms our shared commitment to addressing critical challenges such as water scarcity, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. I am confident that our continued collaboration will lead to impactful advancements in environmental sustainability, further strengthening the UAE's leadership in these vital areas.'

Dr. Shaikha Al Dhaheri said: “I was pleased to learn about the achievements made by International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in the field of developing saline agriculture, increasing crop productivity, and overcoming agricultural challenges in terms of soil quality and water availability, which is aligned with what we do at the Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi. Through this partnership, we have an extensive list of projects we will be launching – all with the greater goal of ensuring that we are meeting the sustainable developments goals of Abu Dhabi in line with the vision of our leadership.”

“Whether we are working on nature resource management, agricultural and habitat rehabilitation, soil protection or species conservation, as well as conducting research and instigating educational awareness programmes, our joint goal is to ensure that future generations have ample resources and environmental continuity to help them lead healthy lives.”

Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi to explore and implement new projects to safeguard some of the essential natural resources such as soil, water and groundwater in the UAE. The strategic partnership of more than 20 years between EAD and ICBA has advanced the missions of both organizations and has been behind several natural resource conservation initiatives in Abu Dhabi. This new MoU will allow us to do much more together and support further Abu Dhabi’s environmental protection.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is intended to facilitate the collaboration of both parties to jointly explore, design and implement specific projects, such as: the use of green energy innovations in forestry and green areas. The objective is to reduce the negative impacts associated with traditional energy sources, like fossil fuels, in operating irrigation systems. The agreement also aims to monitor rangelands and rehabilitate sites to enhance biomass for livestock and wildlife.

Both signatories will also share data, enabling them to leverage ICBA’s available maps and data and integrate them into EAD’s own proprietary information for enhanced analysis. The wide-ranging cooperation also includes seed sharing and exchange, with a focus on native plants from Abu Dhabi and other areas of the United Arab Emirates, promoting diversity through exchange programmes. Similarly, EAD and ICBA will conduct research on drought-resistant species to identify plants that can enhance habitat restoration efforts and will leverage ICBA’s research on marginal lands to minimise water resource use, while also building capacity by developing skills in modern irrigation systems, water management, and harvesting programmes.

The entities will also adopt advanced technologies and best practices for efficient water use and deploy remote-sensing and drone technologies to monitor habitats and assess environmental quality. The partnership will develop applied research on reject brine from desalination, conduct an investigation on hydroponics and best practices for managing forage crops to optimise groundwater use, and conduct biochar research on remediating contaminated land and study the substance’s effects on the presence of heavy metals in soil.

Furthermore, both parties will study the use of biochar in reducing water requirements and carbon sequestration in soil and study its long-term impact on soil biodiversity, natural vegetation and wild plant species. Additionally, EAD and ICBA will share expertise and build capacity in the fields of gene sequencing, data analysis, and in understanding the relationship between genetic information and plant characteristics and performance.

The MoU also involves restoration programmes for dryland-adapted varieties of native plant species and collaborate on the integration of UAV technologies into these programmes. To enhance educational awareness, both EAD and ICBA will cooperate on developing interactive electronic educational resources with a focus on topics related to land degradation and strategies for its prevention. They will also partner on planning initiatives, and in research projects, conducting and publishing the project outcomes to support the preservation of a sustainable environment and explore environmental issues of local and regional significance.