KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (Abu Dhabi)
Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) announced Dh10 million worth of prizes for farmers and agriculturalists across the emirate as part of an effort to incentivise innovative and sustainable practices in the industry.
The announcement came as part of the launch of the third edition of the Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, which will see Dh5.3 million in prizes handed out to farmers and livestock breeders across four main categories and 13 sub-categories.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference held at ADAFSA's headquarters on Wednesday, Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Supreme Committee of the Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, said the prizes were intended to highlight and publicise the success stories to inspire others in the industry.
"What we want is to really show everyone these success stories... because we want to see what works and then replicate that," she said.
"Ultimately what we are trying to do is advance agriculture in Abu Dhabi through the use of the best technologies and methods, but also we want to forge a society that comprehends agricultural innovation and thinks about new ways to advance food security."
The first category recognises excellence in plant and animal production with awards for the best open field, greenhouse, fruit, organic farms, productive livestock, small-scale producers, beekeepers, and aquatic farms.
The second category honours commercial farms, with separate awards for plant and animal farms.
The third category focuses on agricultural innovation, featuring awards for advancements in plant and animal production.
Finally, a newly introduced fourth category will celebrate women in agriculture, with awards for the best distinguished female farmer and breeder was also announced.
This year's award will add extra emphasis on sustainability through new judging criteria including water footprint, product efficiency, organic farming certification, cost and financial return as well as the participation of senior citizens and people of determination.
"The award structure covers the entire spectrum of the agricultural sector, stemming from our belief that all farmers, regardless of the size of their business, play a pivotal role in the development of this vital sector in the country," Al Muhairi said.
"We believe that the cash prizes and the accompanying competitions provide an important source of support for farmers to adopt better sustainable solutions on their farms. In the long term, we trust that the award will inspire younger generations of UAE nationals to explore the important business opportunities in the agricultural sector."
Aside from the main award, a further Dh4.6 million in cash prizes was announced on Wednesday that will be handed out as part of 89 competitions that will take place across five festivals as part of the Sheikh Zayed Festival.
This will include Al Wathba Flower Festival, Al Wathba Agricultural Festival, Al Wathba Food Festival, Al Wathba Livestock Festival, and Al Wathba Honey Festival.
"This year's edition of the award holds special national significance as it coincides with the Year of Sustainability for the second consecutive year, building on the successes achieved by the UAE last year, which culminated with the hosting of COP28," Al Muhairi said.
Applications for the Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence prize will remain open until November 15, 2024, followed by judging, evaluation, and site visits to select the finalists, with the winners to be announced in February 2025.
Applications can be made through the ADAFSA website.