What problem initially led to the UAE needing food security?

The answer to this is the serious environmental concerns that the UAE faces. Some of the environmental challenges that have caused food insecurity are; scarcity of arable land, global warming & climate changes, an increase in population that drove importation in the UAE to about 90%, and rain scarcity (a dire lack of water). However, in 2019, the UAE made a jump from 31st to 21st position in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI). This index is based on four issues related to food security: Natural resources & Resilience, Quality & Safety, Availability, and Affordability.

What approach has the UAE taken to solve food insecurity issues?

With infrastructure investments, market interventions, and subsidies, the UAE has been able to offset many of its structural challenges. In 2010, the government formed the Food Security Center to develop and implement a food security plan. Because of their similar circumstances, the UAE has implemented many of the same policies and strategies as Singapore but has not had the same level of success. This is primarily due to the extent to which the policies are implemented.