UAE acquisition of overseas agricultural assets

Abstract

The recent surge in agricultural investments by private companies in the UAE reflects a growing concern for food security and the desire to secure resources and control food supply chains. This thesis investigates the motivations behind these investments and the role of food security priorities in shaping the strategies of these companies. The research aims to provide valuable insights for food security and UAE policymakers.
The study posed two main research questions: (1) What factors influence UAE agricultural investment companies to purchase foreign agricultural assets?, and (2): To what degree do UAE food security priorities play in the decision by UAE agricultural investment companies to purchase foreign agricultural assets? To answer these questions, a qualitative research methodology was chosen. Namely, semi-structured interviews were conducted, with high-level or senior executives of five private agricultural investment companies in the UAE. These companies were selected based on their investments in foreign agricultural assets. The interviews allowed flexibility in exploring the complex perspectives of the participants and provided rich and detailed data to devote to answering the research questions.
In answering the research question (1), the research found that a series of factors affect the decision-making process of investing in foreign agricultural assets, with the political and economic stability of the host country being the most important. Profit potential and market demand, followed by alignment with the UAE’s food security priorities, logistics and physical attributes of the assets in the country, and finally the availability of arable land and the impact of climate change. In answering the research question (2), this research has found that the political and economic stability of the host country is the primary reason for investing. Although profit was found to be a secondary, although important motive, it was prioritized often by the agricultural investment companies and was interrelated with the rest of the factors.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	American English
Supervisor	SIM Sim (Supervisor)