Dubai Customs celebrated the World Food Day, which is celebrated every year worldwide on 16th October to commemorate the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945.
A number of activities and functions were organized in cooperation with the Dubai Health Authority’s Clinical Nutrition Department. These included an awareness workshop on healthy food and habits for all family members. Around 100 employees took part in a contest on health, diet and the World Food Day.
As part of its social responsibility and within its CSR strategy, Dubai Customs enhanced its activity in health and lifestyle initiatives and carried out 85 initiatives in 9 months that targeted 31,000 people.
Dubai Customs recruited its resources to spread social responsibility awareness, and charity initiatives were carried out despite the spread of the coronavirus.
In response to the current pandemic, Dubai launched the Food Security Dashboard, which supports the efforts of the Dubai Food Security Committee in line with the UAE’s strategic direction for ensuring food security across the country. The dashboard, launched by Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai's Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management and developed by a local government team, was supported by the innovative initiatives of Smart Dubai and the exceptional efforts of government agencies. These include the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry; the Dubai Port, Customs and Free Zone Corporation; and Dubai Economy. The dashboard is capable of using artificial intelligence and data analytics to measure the five important indicators of food security: the supply index, stock availability, local production, consumption levels, and the cost of vital commodities in the emirate.
Dubai external food trade made around Dh32b (9m tons) during the first half of 2020. Imports made Dh22b (6.23m tons), around Dh5.5b (2.1m tons) went to exports, and re-exports made Dh4.5b (733,000 tons).