UAE Circular Economy Council convenes its third meeting for 2025 at Al Barakah Dates Factory in Dubai

Meeting explores the means to advance circularity practices and unlock innovative economic opportunities in UAE’s food sector

 The UAE Circular Economy Council held its third meeting for 2025, chaired by H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism and Chairman of the Council, at the Al Barakah Dates Factory in Dubai. The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), alongside Council members representing government entities, the private sector, and academia. The meeting explored ways to enhance circular economy practices within the UAE's food sector.

Hosted by Al Barakah Dates Factory, the meeting discussed mechanisms to reduce food waste, promote sustainable consumption, and support innovation through new partnerships and initiatives. This contributes to strengthening food security and unlocking new economic value, enabling resilient growth applications in the face of climate change.

H.E. Bin Touq affirmed that the UAE, guided by its wise leadership, has placed significant emphasis on implementing the circular economy model by integrating sustainable solutions into its national economic framework and launching targeted policies and initiatives that promote efficient resource management and accelerate the transition to sustainable production and consumption patterns. H.E. noted that the focus on the food sector in the meeting underscores its strategic importance in unlocking innovative economic opportunities, enhancing food security, and fostering partnerships among key stakeholders, in line with the objectives of the ‘UAE Circular Economy Agenda 2031’ and the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision.

During the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq said: “Circular economy in the food sector is not limited to reducing loss and waste; it involves restructuring the entire food system - from production and consumption to recovery and reuse. This presents a national opportunity that calls for joint efforts between the government and private sectors, as well as research institutions across the country.”

H.H. Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan said: “Promoting circularity in the food sector is vital – not only to achieve the UAE’s net zero by 2050 goal – but also to strengthen our nation’s long-term food security. The UAE has already made significant strides towards embedding regenerative models across industries, but we must continually strive to maintain this momentum. Achieving truly transformational change in the food sector requires strong collaboration between our private sector and government partners to identify the regulatory reforms, policies, and incentives needed for circular food solutions to thrive. Only through this shared commitment can we turn ambition into lasting, systemic change.”

Key initiatives and circular economy policies in the food sector reviewed

The Council reviewed circular economy policies and initiatives in the UAE’s food sector, including redesigning the food system from production to consumption, promoting a culture of recycling across supply chains, and fostering innovation in value-added products. This includes initiatives such as reusing date waste, recycling palm fronds, and the Green Badge program, which empowers youth to embed sustainability practices. The Council also emphasized the importance of expanding partnerships and innovation to reinforce the UAE’s position as a global hub for applying circular practices across key sectors.

The meeting featured a presentation on several innovative initiatives in the field of the circular economy within the food sector, including circular practices in date production processes and reusing manufacturing waste to produce new products, as well as recycling palm fronds, in addition to the Green Badge initiative aimed at promoting youth-led initiatives in sustainability and driving behavioural change in the F&B sector.

The council emphasized the importance of continued collaboration among all relevant entities to expand circular economy practices in the sector and explore new opportunities for innovation and partnerships. This reinforces the UAE’s position as a global hub for circular practices and aligns with the objectives of the UAE Circular Economy Agenda 2031, which includes 22 policies aimed at accelerating the circular economy across four key sectors - manufacturing, food, infrastructure, and transport - supporting national sustainability goals, enhancing quality of life, and preserving resources.

H.E. Bin Touq tours Al Barakah dates factory

Following the meeting, H.E. Bin Touq toured the Al Barakah Dates Factory, during which he was briefed on the production lines and sustainable technologies used in the factory, in addition to date-derived products and their export markets. H.E. praised the company's efforts in adopting innovative production solutions and advanced sustainability practices, particularly in areas of energy consumption efficiency, emissions reduction, and repurposing date waste into value-added products. It reflects a successful model of partnership between the public and private sectors in supporting the goals of the circular economy and enhancing the competitiveness of national exports.

Al Barakah Dates Factory is located in Dubai Industrial City on a total area of 600,000 square feet, 420,000 square feet of which is dedicated to processing and cold storage. It features over 6,500 solar panels that contribute to reducing approximately 3,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Its designed production capacity exceeds 100,000 tonnes per year, with its products exported to more than 90 countries.

The UAE is one of the world's largest producers of dates, with a production of approximately 397,000 tonnes in 2022, ranking eighth globally according to UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) data.