Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority has achieved a significant global achievement by launching the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The index measures the level of biosecurity in the areas of plant and animal health, food safety, and the environment in an integrated manner.
The Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) is the first of its kind in the world, covering all aspects of biosecurity related to animal and plant health, food safety and the environment. The index was built with a hierarchy that includes 6 principles, 25 criteria and 128 sub-indicators. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority organized a joint workshop with the FAO that lasted three days to develop the index and train specialists from various bodies related to the fields of biosecurity, animal health, plant health and food safety. Assess risks that threaten biosecurity and develop plans to manage them effectively.
This step aims to enhance the exchange of experiences and knowledge in the field of biosecurity, and constitutes a basic basis for adopting the index by the FAO and generalizing its use globally, as the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) is expected to make a qualitative shift in the field of biosecurity assessment at the global level. Which contributes to enhancing food security, environmental protection, and human and animal health. Her Excellency Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Deputy Director General for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs at ADAFSA, confirmed that the development of an Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) is an important international achievement that is added to the record of achievements of the United Arab Emirates under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE (May God protect him) and affirms the state’s commitment to enhancing food security at the national and global levels.
She expressed her pride in the authority’s success in developing a global index for integrated biosecurity (IBI), praising the unlimited support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority. She said in her speech during the opening of the joint workshop with the FAO that the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) is a strategic tool to confront the growing challenges that threaten global food security, explaining that the development of the index came in response to an urgent national and global need, in light of the growing risks that pose a threat to global food security. Food value chains face accelerating globalization and climate change. She stressed that the workshop constitutes an ideal opportunity to review the draft indicator and train specialists on the evaluation process and the use of the most reliable tools, in addition to analyzing the results and developing and improving the scoring criteria. Her Excellency explained: “Biosecurity is considered an integrated strategic approach to analyze and manage risks related to human, animal, plant and environmental health, through their effects on food safety and common diseases. Key indicators have been agreed upon globally to evaluate some areas related to biosecurity, while there is no integrated indicator to measure them.” Biosecurity at the global level.
She praised the fruitful cooperation with the FAO in completing this indicator, stressing the Authority’s keenness to strengthen international cooperation in the field of biosecurity, ensuring food safety and protecting human, animal and plant health, noting that the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) will provide many benefits, including helping manufacturers The decision aims to assess risks related to biosecurity more effectively, improve the ability of countries to respond to threats to food security, and enhance international cooperation in the field of biosecurity.
Dr. Marcus Thibault, Chief Livestock Development Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), expressed his happiness in cooperating with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority in developing the Integrated Biosecurity Index, and considered this cooperation a role model in the field of international cooperation to enhance biosecurity.
He praised the authority’s efforts in developing the index, describing it as a “pioneering achievement” that will contribute significantly to enhancing biosecurity globally.
During his speech at the opening of the workshop, he stressed the importance of the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) as an effective tool for assessing risks that threaten biosecurity, and developing plans to manage them effectively, pointing out that the index is the first of its kind in the world, and constitutes an advanced step in the field of biosecurity assessment.
He concluded by expressing his confidence that the Integrated Biosecurity Index (IBI) will contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and ensuring sustainable production and consumption patterns. A number of experts and specialists from various specializations in government agencies nationwide who work in fields related to biosecurity participated in the workshop. The workshop focused on reviewing the draft indicator and training participants on the evaluation process and the use of the most reliable tools, in addition to analyzing the results and developing and improving scoring criteria.
