The UAE has launched Abu Dhabi’s AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development, an ambitious initiative designed to deploy artificial intelligence solutions to support climate-exposed agricultural regions and the communities most affected by shifting weather patterns.

The announcement builds on the $200 million UAE–Gates Foundation partnership unveiled at COP28, aimed at accelerating agricultural innovation and strengthening global food security. The launch took place in the presence of Mariam Almheiri, Head of the International Affairs Office at the UAE Presidential Court, and Bill Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, marking two years of progress in integrating technology into sustainable development through the partnership.

Following the announcement, Almheiri and Gates attended the UAE–Gates Partnership Showcase, which provided an immersive overview of the ecosystem’s core pillars. The exhibit highlighted how Abu Dhabi’s research capabilities, technological expertise, and AI innovations are being leveraged to transform agriculture and enhance resilience in vulnerable regions.

“The UAE is harnessing artificial intelligence for global good, to help protect the farmers and communities most exposed to climate volatility,” said Almheiri. “By connecting our national research and AI capabilities with leading global partners, we are turning science into real tools that reach people on the ground. Through our partnership with the Gates Foundation, we are advancing Agri-AI solutions that support millions of smallholder farmers facing unpredictable weather, helping secure a more stable and hopeful future for communities worldwide.”

Bill Gates praised the UAE’s leadership in applying AI to global challenges. “Around the world, smallholder farmers are facing the harshest impacts of climate change with the fewest tools to adapt,” he said. “The AI for Agriculture Ecosystem helps change that by putting practical, data-driven solutions directly in farmers’ hands. This initiative helps strengthen food security and support farmers in a warming world.”

The AI for Agriculture Ecosystem unites the UAE Presidential Court’s International Affairs Office, three Abu Dhabi-based institutions—Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), NYU Abu Dhabi, and ai71—and international partners including the Gates Foundation, CGIAR, and the World Bank. Together, they form a global network that translates cutting-edge research into actionable agricultural solutions deployable across climate-vulnerable regions.

Among the showcased initiatives were the CGIAR AI Hub, hosted in Abu Dhabi by ai71, which aims to revolutionize digital transformation in agriculture using CGIAR’s extensive data resources; the Institute for Agriculture and Artificial Intelligence at MBZUAI, providing digital advisory tools and training programs for governments and organizations; and AgriLLM, an open-source large language model developed in Abu Dhabi to advance agricultural intelligence through deep learning on global farming data.

Also highlighted was AIM for Scale, a joint UAE–Gates Foundation initiative hosted at NYU Abu Dhabi, developing AI-powered weather forecasting and digital advisory services for smallholder farmers. The project aims to reach 100 million farmers by 2030 and has already delivered AI-powered monsoon forecasts to 38 million farmers in India—the largest such deployment to date.

“The AI Agriculture Ecosystem is rooted in science and powered by global collaboration,” said Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR. “By combining AI expertise and insights from partners worldwide, it helps strengthen decision-making, guide investments, and accelerate the adoption of digital tools that support communities in both the Global South and North.”

Through these combined efforts, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a global hub for agricultural AI, reinforcing the UAE’s commitment to leveraging technology for inclusive and sustainable growth.