• The collaboration will focus on a wide array of projects to address critical challenges in agriculture, food security and sustainability
• The partnership is officially being signed at the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE)

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 28 November 2024: The ATRC entities ASPIRE, and the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) today announced a new partnership with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA).

The official signing ceremony was held at the 3rd edition of the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE), which took place at ADNEC Center in Abu Dhabi during Global Food Week.

This collaboration will focus on advancing applied research activities aimed at addressing critical challenges in agriculture, food security, and sustainability. Strategic areas of collaboration include innovative diagnostics and therapeutics, sustainable protein and dietary solutions, resilient water and energy solutions, and broader research and development initiatives.

Dr. Najwa Aaraj, CEO, TII, said: 'This collaboration highlights our collective commitment to advancing science and technology in ways that directly benefit the UAE's agriculture and food sectors. By combining ADAFSA's regulatory expertise with our research capabilities, we aim to create sustainable, high-impact solutions that contribute to food security and environmental resilience in the region.'

Stephane Timpano, CEO, ASPIRE, said: 'Our mission is to enable partnerships that address the world's most pressing challenges, and by joining forces with ADAFSA and TII, we are leveraging research to develop sustainable, practical solutions for food security and agriculture. This milestone underscores our commitment to advance technology and ensure a resilient and sustainable future.'

The scope of the collaboration encompasses several aspects in agriculture, food security and sustainability. For example, cooperation will focus on developing camel-derived immunoglobulin production as a high-value agent for diagnostics and therapeutics in human and veterinary medicine, on enabling carbon-negative bioproduction of alternative animal proteins and health-enhancing dietary supplements, and on establishing bioreactor-based freshwater production facilities in farms to improve resilience and energy as well as water use in food production sectors.

It will also center on developing dustproof coating and cooling systems for greenhouses and on promoting a circular economy by utilizing agricultural waste resources to produce bio-based structural materials.

TII is participating in this partnership through three of its research centers: the Biotechnology Research Center (BRC), the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Center (RSERC), and the Advanced Materials Research Center (AMRC).