1、AGRI COMMODITIES SERIES 23TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroductionExecutive SummaryChapter 1:Market snapshotChapter 2:Key players and value chain dynamicsChapter 3:Building the water economyChapter 4:The UAEs trade centralityChapter 5:Future outlook,trade and investment trendsRecommendations0406101620243040Onc

2、e viewed as a local resource managed by utilities and municipalities,water has become a globally contested asset,underpinning everything from agricultural exports and heavy industry to semiconductors and artificial intelligence(AI)infrastructure.As climate pressures mount and global demand surges,th

3、e ability to source,allocate and trade water efficiently will shape geopolitical strategy and economic competitiveness.This shift is redefining the role of water in the global economynot merely as a physical input,but as a strategic enabler of growth,resilience,and technological progress.As sectors

4、from agriculture to AI face mounting water risk,the ability to manage and monetise water efficiently is becoming a competitive differentiator.Yet governance frameworks remain fragmented,and investment levels lag behind need.The emergence of water as both a traded resource and an investable asset is

5、prompting a new wave of financial innovation and infrastructure development.Against this backdrop,new players are stepping forward not just to secure supply,but to shape the future architecture of the water economy.WATERS ASCENT AS A GLOBAL MARKET FORCEIntroductionIntroduction54In the United Arab Em

6、irates among the most water-scarce nations on earth this challenge has become an opportunity.The country is investing in desalination,digital water infrastructure and cross-border partnerships to bolster water security and position itself as a regional water hub.Through initiatives like DMCCs new Wa