Date: 12 Aug, 2025
On the occasion of International Youth Day, the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting and empowering Arab youth, recognizing them as the driving force behind agricultural development and the advancement of sustainable food security across the Arab world.
H.E. Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AAAID, stressed that: “youth are the cornerstone of Arab food security, and that investing in their skills and empowering them professionally and economically is a direct investment in a more sustainable and prosperous future. He highlighted that AAAID has placed youth at the heart of its mission to achieve sustainable food security, implementing pioneering field programs across several Arab countries to train graduates of agricultural colleges and institutes in the latest agricultural technologies applied within AAAID’s companies and projects.
These programs aim to prepare qualified agricultural professionals capable of driving the sector’s development—either by joining AAAID’s companies or by integrating into the wider Arab labor market upon successful completion of training. To date, AAAID has trained approximately 100 young people, with 32 recruited within the Authority and its affiliated companies, while the remainder have secured opportunities across various agricultural sectors in the Arab world.
In line with its efforts to enhance youth skills and employability, AAAID signed MOU with The Digital School, an initiative under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, to contribute to the Skills Academies initiative. This partnership aims to equip 10,000 young men and women in Arab countries with the practical and vocational skills required by the labor market, thereby boosting employment prospects and advancing sustainable economic development.
AAAID’s training initiatives have covered a diverse range of applied agricultural technologies, including:
Concluding his statement, H.E. Dr. Obaid Al Zaabi underscored that the role of Arab institutions in training and qualifying young and agricultural graduates is a cornerstone for achieving comprehensive and sustainable agricultural development. He affirmed that investing in Arab human capital is the most effective pathway to building a more secure, productive, and resilient agricultural future.
