Dubai:UAE The United Arab Emirates is leading global initiatives to tackle hunger and malnutrition by employing humanitarian aid, development partnerships, and agricultural innovation. These strategies aim to save lives, enhance food system resilience, and ensure a sustainable food supply.
According to Emirates News Agency, the UAE's efforts were evident in several initiatives throughout 2026, including humanitarian campaigns for the most vulnerable, international collaborations to expand nutrition programs, and innovative agricultural projects. The 'Edge of Life' campaign, launched in February 2026 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, sought to save five million children from hunger, raising over AED2.822 billion from 44,208 donors, surpassing its AED1 billion target.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, UNICEF, and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation announced a US$300 million partnership to implement this campaign, with MBRGI and CIFF jointly contributing US$100 million and UNICEF mobilizing an additional US$200 million to expand life-saving nutrition programs.
The UAE extended a US$20 million grant to the World Food Programme to aid those affected by conflict in Sudan and dispatched 30 tonnes of food aid to Kenya to assist families facing drought and climate challenges. Additionally, US$8 million was allocated to Chad to address El Ni±o impacts and hunger risks, while food assistance was delivered to Gaza under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
DP World collaborated with the WFP to transport 5,000 metric tonnes of rice to Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda, aiding humanitarian operations through logistical support.
In 2026, the UAE was elected to the WFP Executive Board, enhancing its role in guiding international hunger alleviation efforts. In September, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment hosted a high-level dialogue in New York, focusing on water-secure agriculture and setting the stage for the 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi.
Dubai Cares launched the 'Feed a Child, Build a Kitchen' campaign to support Kenya's school meals program, aiming to expand across sub-Saharan Africa and address child malnutrition.
The UAE and the United States led the Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate, boosting investments to over US$13 billion by May 2023. At COP28, 134 countries signed a declaration on sustainable agriculture, with over US$2.5 billion mobilized for food security amid climate challenges.
Domestically, the UAE launched initiatives to strengthen supply chain resilience, hosted World Food Week, and saw its food trade reach US$41.8 billion in 2025. Food Tech Valley in Dubai attracted US$50 billion in investments for sustainable food technologies.
The UAE's National Food Security Strategy 2051 outlines 38 initiatives to position the country as a global leader in the Food Security Index by 2051.