FRESH POINTE
ABSTRACT In recent years, due to Covid19 and military conflicts, the world has faced unforeseeable market conditions. Where global trade plummeted, and prices of goods significantly increased. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the overall consumer price index of food prices is 10.1% higher than in May 2021. Leading to growing concern about food security; nations are either incapable of producing enough food to feed their people or are vulnerable because of global external factors that affect the food supply. As a result, any economic or environmental risk at this point can jeopardize the availability and affordability of food. Like the UAE, despite recent efforts to convert 7,237 square kilometers of desert into farmable land, agriculture accounts for only 3% of the UAE’s GDP. Since the 1900s, the UAE but more specifically Dubai gained its reputation as a trading hub; immigrants would choose Dubai as their home due to its affordability and strategic location along the trade route. Farmlands at the time were mainly palm trees since they could survive with little to no water. They would visit Dubai creek, where Indian and Persian merchants sold fruits close to the trading ships for easier accessibility. In doing so, the community unintentionally created dynamic markets for commerce and chatter between different backgrounds. Today, Dubai has welcomed over 200 nationalities, and the population is forever growing. The creek is still present, and the people are still here, however the interaction between consumer and seller has diluted into big chain supermarket-dominance. Once a vital aspect of a Dubaian lifestyle, a marketplace where people gather, strengthen social ties, and commerce has been wiped to nonexistence. This research aims to explore the UAE’s response to food security, analyze the significance of marketplaces and their symbolic importance in societies, and examine the connection between rural-urban linkage. In times of modernity and globalization, it will assess the need for a market space for cultural preservation and food security.
ABSTRACT
In recent years, due to Covid19 and military conflicts, the world has faced unforeseeable market conditions. Where global trade plummeted, and prices of goods significantly increased. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the overall consumer price index of food prices is 10.1% higher than in May 2021. Leading to growing concern about food security; nations are either incapable of producing enough food to feed their people or are vulnerable because of global external factors that affect the food supply. As a result, any economic or environmental risk at this point can jeopardize the availability and affordability of food. Like the UAE, despite recent efforts to convert 7,237 square kilometers of desert into farmable land, agriculture accounts for only 3% of the UAE’s GDP. Since the 1900s, the UAE but more specifically Dubai gained its reputation as a trading hub; immigrants would choose Dubai as their home due to its affordability and strategic location along the trade route. Farmlands at the time were mainly palm trees since they could survive with little to no water. They would visit Dubai creek, where Indian and Persian merchants sold fruits close to the trading ships for easier accessibility. In doing so, the community unintentionally created dynamic markets for commerce and chatter between different backgrounds. Today, Dubai has welcomed over 200 nationalities, and the population is forever growing. The creek is still present, and the people are still here, however the interaction between consumer and seller has diluted into big chain supermarket-dominance. Once a vital aspect of a Dubaian lifestyle, a marketplace where people gather, strengthen social ties, and commerce has been wiped to nonexistence. This research aims to explore the UAE’s response to food security, analyze the significance of marketplaces and their symbolic importance in societies, and examine the connection between rural-urban linkage. In times of modernity and globalization, it will assess the need for a market space for cultural preservation and food security.
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Further decreasing the gap between farmers and consumers
is the digital markets. Many farms nowadays
have online platforms to offer consumers freshly harvested
fruit and vegetables. This method of trade became
extremely popular during the pandemic. With
the restrictions and policies of covid19, farmers had
challenges with their unbought supply of goods. Therefore,
farmers collaborated with online platforms to sell
their harvested goods to survive and make a profit.
A great example is Kibsons. An online and physical
platform focused on delivering fresh groceries
from the farm to the kitchen. In doing so, they
are bridging the gap between suppliers and consumers.
Established around 30 years ago, Kibsons
contributes significantly to the UAE’s fresh market.
More than 150 thousand kilos of fresh fruits
and vegetables are distributed daily (Kibsons).
Another perk of buying online is being environmentally
conscious and sustainable. Every year, 1 million tons
of excellent food is wasted in the UAE alone, often
due to the ugly problem. Ugly fruits that are perfectly
fine to eat are rejected from chain supermarkets because
the fruit is too big or too small, has an irregular
shape, or has slight discoloration. HeroGo is an online
platform that rescues rejected fruits and vegetables
and sells them at an affordable price to consumers
(Herogo). The consumer is not only helping the environment
but is saving a lot on grocery expenses. “At
HeroGo, we embrace this food, and we rescue it. We
make it affordable and then deliver it right to your
doorstep in only one click, saving you time and making
your grocery bill cheaper.” (Herogo). When these
fruits are rejected, it is wasted not only food but also
the energy, water, and resources used to grow them.
Figure 8: Kibsons
Figure 9: HeroGo - Ugly Fruit
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