Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has announced the launch of the fifth cycle of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award (2026-2027).
Announced during a press conference held in Abu Dhabi, the conference was attended by Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Chairperson of the Award’s Higher Committee; Ahmed Khaled Othman, Deputy Chairperson; and Mubarak Al Qusaili Al Mansouri, Chair of the Festivals and Accompanying Competitions Committee, along with representatives of supporting entities and members of the media.
The Higher Committee unveiled details of the new cycle, noting that the total value of prizes amounts to approximately Dh10million, distributed across 13 main categories, including two newly introduced categories: Best Supporting Marketing Outlet and Agricultural Impact Maker.
The cycle also features 97 accompanying competitions, compared to 77 in the fourth cycle, an increase of 26%, in addition to five festivals held as part of the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba.
Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Deputy Director-General for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs at ADAFSA and Chairperson of the Higher Committee, stated that the award has become one of the nation’s most significant initiatives supporting agricultural development. It stands as a milestone in fostering excellence and innovation in plant and animal production, strengthening the position of local produce and reinforcing the national food security system.
Al Muhairi noted that the fourth cycle witnessed broad participation exceeding 3,395 entrants, with more than 159,000 visitors to the Award’s pavilion at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba.
She added that the fifth cycle introduces a broader and more ambitious vision, with an enhanced award structure comprising 13 main categories covering plant and animal production, alongside 97 accompanying competitions organised within five festivals hosted at the award’s pavilion.
The Higher Committee has also introduced two new categories, Best Supporting Marketing Outlet and Agricultural Impact Maker, in line with national efforts to strengthen the role of society and the private sector in supporting food security.
Al Muhairi explained that this year’s cycle places greater emphasis on community engagement, in alignment with the UAE Year of Family, through initiatives encouraging public participation and highlighting the role of individuals in supporting national food security.
She affirmed that ADAFSA considers the award a key pillar in advancing self-sufficiency and developing the agricultural economy, and that the fifth cycle will mark a new milestone in elevating the status of Emirati produce locally, regionally and globally.
She further noted that the participation criteria and mechanisms have been refined to meet the aspirations of various target groups, including farmers, livestock breeders, youth-led projects, and women farmers and breeders.
The new cycle places stronger focus on encouraging innovation in agricultural and livestock production, and on measuring efficiency through sustainability-linked indicators such as natural resource efficiency, water footprint, economic return, innovation, and digital transformation, in line with smart and sustainable agriculture and modern global standards.
Ahmed Khaled Othman, Deputy Chairperson of the Higher Committee, emphasised that the fifth cycle follows a comprehensive review of the award’s methodology and evaluation criteria, ensuring alignment with the leadership’s vision and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading centre for agricultural innovation and food security.
He explained that the award adopts more precise criteria this year in sustainability, production efficiency, agricultural best practices, and innovation in modern technologies, thereby enhancing positive competition among farmers and livestock breeders across the UAE.
Othman added that expanding participation to include new categories reflects the diversity of the agricultural sector in the emirate and provides opportunities for youth, small-scale producers, and distinguished women farmers to showcase their contributions to food security.
He affirmed that the 13 categories represent essential pillars of the food production ecosystem and embody ADAFSA’s vision of empowering farmers and producers through an enabling environment that encourages innovation and recognises dedicated efforts that advance the agricultural and food sector in the UAE.
Mubarak Al Qusaili Al Mansouri, Chair of the Festivals and Accompanying Competitions Committee, stated that the fifth cycle features unprecedented expansion in the number of competitions and accompanying events, reflecting the growing interest in the agricultural and food sector and its vital role in supporting food security and sustainability.
He explained that the committee has approved 97 competitions this year, covering various fields of agricultural and food production, including livestock competitions, seven plant competitions, 14 food competitions, 10 honey competitions and nine flower competitions.
Al Mansouri noted that all competitions and accompanying events will be held within the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, where the award participates annually as a national platform celebrating cultural and heritage identity, and as an ideal opportunity for direct engagement with the public and raising awareness of the agricultural sector’s role in daily life.
He added that the award’s pavilion will host five main festivals: the Al Wathba Plant Festival, Al Wathba Livestock Festival, Al Wathba Food Festival, Flower Festival, and Honey Festival, aimed at enhancing community interaction with agricultural and food activities, showcasing the quality and diversity of local produce, and encouraging consumers to support national products.
Al Mansouri concluded by affirming that the award will continue to empower farmers and producers, promote innovation, and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading destination in advancing food security and sustainability.
The Higher Committee invites all farmers, livestock breeders, and commercial farms across the UAE to participate and register between September 15 and December 15, 2026, via the official website: www.smaea.ae.
The award follows several integrated stages after registration closes, beginning with the launch of festivals and accompanying competitions throughout the Sheikh Zayed Festival. This is followed by the desk-based evaluation of submissions and field assessments for shortlisted participants, conducted by specialised committees that visit farms and ranches to evaluate them based on precise criteria and conditions set by a technical committee comprising experts in plant and animal agriculture and agricultural innovation.
Upon completion of field evaluations, results are shared with shortlisted participants and final results are approved, ahead of an official closing ceremony scheduled for March 2027, attended by participants and key figures from the agricultural and food security sectors.
It is noteworthy that the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has witnessed wide participation across its four previous cycles, with 1,603 participants in the main categories and 196 winners.
The fourth cycle alone recorded 3,395 entries in the accompanying competitions, reflecting the award’s expanding reach and growing impact in supporting food security and agricultural sustainability in the UAE, and affirming its position as one of the most prominent drivers of development and innovation in the national agricultural sector.
