MoCCAE discusses ways to support farmers, boost agricultural productivity in Eastern Region

The meeting aimed at exploring ways to enhance crop productivity and address the future needs of farmers.

The meeting, which took place at the Hanging Gardens in Kalba, was led by Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and several high-ranking officials from the Ministry.

The meeting introduced the farmers to the 'Plant the Emirates' National Programme and the National Agriculture Centre, which were recently launched by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. These initiatives support the UAE's strategic objectives to boost agricultural development, promote sustainable national food security, foster new partnerships with the private sector, expand green spaces across the nation, and ensure their sustainability.

During the meeting, Al Dahak stated, "The launch of the 'Plant the Emirates' National Programme and the National Agriculture Centre by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum represents a significant milestone in the UAE's pursuit of sustainable food security. By engaging all stakeholders and diverse segments of society, we can work together to elevate agriculture as a key priority for the UAE's future."

She added, "The Ministry is committed to actively engaging with farmers nationwide to better identify their visions and needs. We strive to address these needs while strengthening our farmers' role in boosting the national food security. With the launch of the 'Plant the Emirates' National Programme and the National Agriculture Centre, we aim to intensify our support in building a robust and resilient agricultural sector, capable of meeting the UAE's growing demand for strategic crops."

"The UAE places great trust in its farmers. We are confident that we have the capability to produce the food we need from our own land. By working hand-in-hand, we can achieve our nation's food security goals." she concluded.

The meeting reviewed the key objectives of the 'Plant the Emirates' National Programme and the National Agriculture Centre for the upcoming period. These objectives include raising agricultural productivity, expanding the number of productive and organic farms, promoting the adoption of modern climate-smart agriculture solutions, and providing training, advisory and financing programmes for agricultural projects.

The programme also aims to engage federal and local authorities, the private sector and the community in strengthening the country's agricultural ecosystem.

The meeting provided a platform for open dialogue between Ministry officials and farmers, allowing the farmers to outline their priorities and shape the efforts of the National Agriculture Centre for the upcoming phase, in line with their specific needs.

The discussions also focused on empowering farmers to enhance agricultural productivity and improve quality and competitiveness by leveraging modern climate-smart agricultural technology in local farms. Additionally, it was discussed how the quality of services provided by the Ministry to farmers could be improved.

During the meeting, the farmers highlighted various aspects of agricultural production and expressed the need for additional support to increase productivity, especially for certain crop varieties.

The Ministry officials reassured the farmers of the numerous support channels already dedicated to them and highlighted plans to expand these channels in the near future. They also emphasised that the launch of the National Agriculture Centre will play a key role in enhancing support, particularly in boosting the production of certain strategic crops.

The meeting featured impressive displays of high-quality crops grown locally highlighting the potential of local farms to significantly increase production and meet local demand. Attendees expressed their satisfaction with the competitive quality and nutritious value of the crops. (ANI/WAM)