Key Takeaways
- Recent regional disruptions have again highlighted the Gulf's dependence on food imports, echoing vulnerabilities first identified during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Giovanni Angiolini, representing 50 Dutch agri-tech companies through Dutch Greenhouse Delta, argues that food production must be treated as a long-term resilience investment rather than a short-term profit-driven venture
- Practical barriers — including energy tariffs, restrictions on biological crop control, and limited cold chain infrastructure — continue to slow the development of local agriculture
- Circular agricultural models already developed for Qatar and Oman by Dutch Greenhouse Delta offer a replicable blueprint for other GCC countries
- Experts stress that progress will require collaboration across the full value chain — from government and growers to retailers, logistics providers, and international technology partners
Supply Chain Disruptions Renew Focus on Food Security Across the Gulf
Recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have brought renewed attention to food supply resilience across the Gulf Cooperation Council, prompting fresh discussion about the pace of progress on long-standing food security objectives. For Giovanni Angiolini, a Dubai-based entrepreneur and regional representative for Dutch Greenhouse Delta — an organisation representing 50 leading Dutch agri-tech companies — the period has underlined how much work remains to be done, while also pointing to genuine grounds for optimism.
“Food security really became an issue again,” Angiolini said, speaking in late March as regional supply chains faced disruption. Import routes shifted, with trade rerouting through alternative ports in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Airlines including Emirates and Etihad maintained cargo operations to support the supply of fresh perishables. While supermarket shelves largely remained stocked, some reduction in product variety was noted, alongside modest price increases in categories including dairy and poultry.
Angiolini is careful to acknowledge what has worked. Bilateral food security agreements concluded since COVID — including with India and several neighbouring countries — meant supply continued to flow even as logistics grew more complex. “It's not that we have a shortage of food,” he noted. “It's a disruption in the supply chain.” The distinction matters: it points to a system that has improved, even if it has not yet fully matured.
Building on The Gulf's Food Security Progress Made Since COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for food security policy across the Gulf. It accelerated bilateral agreements, prompted investment in agricultural projects abroad, and placed self-sufficiency firmly on national agendas. Qatar, which had faced an economic boycott in the years prior, made particularly notable strides and now sources an estimated 40% of its food locally — a figure that reflects what sustained political commitment can achieve.
Elsewhere, progress has been more gradual. Angiolini observes that in the years following the pandemic, investment priorities in some countries shifted toward high-tech digitalisation and other sectors, with momentum on local food production softening. Funding in some cases moved toward lower-cost, seasonal solutions rather than year-round, climate-controlled growing facilities.
Yet he frames this not as a failure, but as an unfinished transition. “There were amazing ambitions,” he said, pointing to active food security strategies in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia, as well as initiatives such as the UAE Food Cluster and the Saudi Agri Food Alliance. “It should be better — and as the Netherlands, we are definitely ready to help and to contribute.”
Dutch Greenhouse Delta on the Practical Path Forward
For Dutch Greenhouse Delta, the priority is identifying concrete, actionable steps that can improve conditions for local growers. Angiolini points to several areas where targeted changes could make a meaningful difference.
Energy costs represent one of the most immediate challenges. Tariff structures currently vary between emirates, with rates in Dubai less favourable for greenhouse operators than those in Abu Dhabi. A standardised federal agricultural energy rate for qualifying producers, Angiolini suggests, would help level the playing field and encourage investment in modern growing facilities.
Regulatory frameworks around fertiliser use and biological crop control also warrant review. In the Netherlands and across much of Europe, growers have access to a wider range of approved inputs and pest management tools — a flexibility that supports both productivity and sustainability. Aligning UAE regulations more closely with international standards, where appropriate, could reduce operating costs and improve yields for local producers.
Cold chain infrastructure and post-harvest logistics are another area where investment is needed. Angiolini notes that even where local produce is of high quality, inadequate handling and storage can undermine its shelf life and competitiveness. Training and education for farm operators, he adds, are equally important components of a functioning agricultural system — ones that are sometimes overlooked in discussions focused primarily on technology and capital.
Dutch Greenhouse Delta has already begun developing practical models for the region. The organisation recently designed Greenport concepts for both Qatar and Oman — circular agricultural systems that integrate CO₂ reuse from industrial facilities, heat recovery, and water management into a single coherent framework. Angiolini describes these as readily adaptable for other GCC countries, offering a proven starting point rather than a blank slate.
A Value Chain Effort — From Farm to Fork and Back
One of the recurring themes in Angiolini's analysis is that food security cannot be solved at the farm level alone. Retailers, hospitality groups, logistics providers, and consumers all play a role in creating the conditions under which local agriculture can thrive.
He points to the concept of a fork-to-farm approach — understanding what consumers actually need and working backward through the value chain — as a useful complement to traditional farm-to-fork thinking. If retailers and hotel groups commit to sourcing a greater proportion of their produce locally, it creates the demand signal that growers need to justify investment in expanded capacity.
Awareness campaigns promoting locally grown produce, particularly among younger consumers and within the education system, could also help shift purchasing behaviour over time. “Start from early on at schools,” Angiolini suggested. “Encourage people to grow locally.” He cited simple measures — such as home growing kits — as a way of building familiarity and appreciation for local food production from the ground up.
Reducing food waste across the hospitality and retail sectors is another lever. With the UAE hosting significant numbers of tourists and residents from diverse backgrounds, food culture tends toward abundance — a positive reflection of hospitality, but one that also generates considerable waste. Capturing that waste productively, whether through composting, biogas generation, or insect-based fertiliser production, represents an opportunity to close the loop within the food system.
The Case for Regional and International Collaboration
Angiolini is clear that addressing food security across the Gulf will require collaboration — both within the region and with international partners. A GCC-wide framework covering transport infrastructure, cross-border trade agreements, and shared investment mechanisms would, in his view, significantly strengthen the resilience of individual member states.
He also makes a strong case for openness to foreign expertise. The Netherlands, despite being a small country with limited arable land, ranks among the world's top food exporters — a position built on decades of investment in technology, knowledge, and circular agricultural systems. Dutch Greenhouse Delta's role in the region is not simply to sell products, but to transfer knowledge and support the development of locally owned, locally operated food systems.
“Make sure that there is room for foreign players that can bring in the knowledge and technology,” Angiolini said — while equally stressing the importance of keeping established local producers central to any strategy. “Always keep them involved.”
With the ceasefire announced on 8 April providing a degree of renewed stability, attention is likely to return to the longer-term structural questions that this period has brought into focus. For Dutch Greenhouse Delta and its partners, the hope is that the momentum generated translates into concrete action — and that the region's food security ambitions are finally matched by the execution they deserve.
Note: This interview was recorded on 26 March 2025, prior to the ceasefire announced on 8 April 2025. Some circumstances described may have since changed.
