UAE better prepared to navigate pandemic, food and water security, minister says Waheed Abbas/Dubai Photo by Juidin Bernarrd/ Khaleej Times Country has managed plentiful supplies at critical time. The UAE’s food supply chain is better prepared to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic than several other countries, thanks to its advanced preparations and national food security strategy plan, said the UAE’s Minister of State for Food and Water Security. “For many years, we have been preparing ourselves and recognised before the pandemic that over-reliance on global food supply chain makes us vulnerable, that occur beyond our control. So we developed a nationwide plan,” Mariam Almheiri said during the opening address of the Gulfood 2021 Innovation Summit, which began at the Dubai World Trade Centre on Sunday.