Shorouk Awad (Dubai)
The data of the official authorities showed that (578,840) dunums of UAE land contributed to the production of (1,208,123) tons of fruits, vegetables, field crops and fodder during 2020, and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi ranked first in the volume of production with (533,962) tons, followed by the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah In the second place with (261.056) tons, while the Emirate of Sharjah ranked third with (168.062) tons, then the Emirate of Fujairah in the fourth place with (116.204) tons, the Emirate of Dubai in the fifth place with (86,387) tons, and the Emirate of Ajman in the sixth place By (27,322) tons, while the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain ranked seventh with (15,129) tons.
The data showed that the total area of land used for planting fruit trees such as (palms, mangoes, guavas, chico, pomegranates, figs, and bananas), field and fodder crops such as (corn, jet, rhodes, and miseblo) and vegetables such as (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, zucchini , cucumber, cabbage, and flower) at the state level, distributed between (324.629) dunums in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, (89.144) dunums in Ras Al Khaimah, (66.136) dunums in the Emirate of Sharjah, and (43.816) dunums in Fujairah, and ( 36,046 dunums in the Emirate of Dubai, (11.479) dunums in Ajman, and (7,590) dunums in Umm Al Quwain.
The data issued by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Federal Center for Competitiveness and Statistics, and the Statistics Center – Abu Dhabi, explained the total area according to the volume of production of vegetables, fruits, field and fodder crops. The area was distributed between (107,704) dunams producing (476,958) tons of Field and fodder crops, and (65,088) dunums producing (336,580) tons of vegetables, and (406.047) dunams producing (394,585) tons of fruits.
The data confirmed the contribution of (324,629) dunums of the lands of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to the production of fruits, vegetables, field and fodder crops, of which (34,319) dunums to the production of (141,279) tons of field and fodder crops, and (17,951) dunums to the production of (134,348) tons of vegetables. , and (272,359) dunums in the production of (258.335) tons of fruit, and (89.143) dunums of the lands of Ras Al Khaimah in production, of which (34,145) dunums in the production of (156.185) tons of field and fodder crops, and (16,315) dunums in The production of (67,032) tons of vegetables, (38,684) dunums of production (37,840) tons of fruits, and (66,137) dunums of Sharjah land in production, of which (14,502) dunams of production (66.337) tons of field and fodder crops, and (14,468) dunums in the production of (65,362) tons of vegetables, and (37.166) dunums in the production of (36,364) tons of fruits.
Noticeable growth
Engineer Muhammad Al-Dhanhani, Director of the Agricultural Development and Health Department at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, said in statements to Al-Ittihad that the agricultural areas in the United Arab Emirates have witnessed remarkable growth during the past years, which enabled it to achieve reasonable rates of self-sufficiency for some crops. Contributing to narrowing the food gap, and the agricultural sector witnessed the entry of modern and sustainable patterns, as the state worked on developing plans and programs to overcome the pressures and influences facing the agricultural sector in a manner that ensures its sustainability and with the least environmental impact while achieving a better level of food security. The UAE’s food diversity policy, the “National Food Security Strategy” and the “Water Security Strategy,” adopting climate-smart and sustainable agricultural patterns, in addition to increasing the private sector’s involvement in investing in the agricultural sector, and many more.
New technology
Mohammed Al-Dhanhani added: “The ministry is also working with farmers and partners to promote the adoption of modern technology in accordance with the climatic conditions of the country, where the use of closed, protected, vertical and organic farming systems is encouraged, while taking care to evaluate modern technology to ensure its suitability to the climatic conditions of the country. Water-saving technology, various agricultural techniques such as seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, and post-harvest techniques, to ensure a high-quality product and other technologies, in addition to the Ministry’s continuity in implementing agricultural research as a cornerstone for developing the national agricultural sector, developing and improving the value chain, and providing agricultural production requirements by half Price, and free pest and plant disease control services.
building abilities
Al-Dhanhani pointed out that the most important challenges facing this sector were natural pressures such as the lack of water resources such as groundwater and surface, high salinity and depletion and high irrigation costs, as well as the limited area of land suitable for agriculture, high soil salinity and low fertility, in addition to desert climatic conditions. The agricultural sector causes many human pressures, including the increased demand for food and the need to preserve some components of the agricultural sector as a national heritage and the costs associated with that, noting that despite this, the Ministry is keen to build capacities for approximately 5216 farmers in this aspect, by adopting modern irrigation systems The appropriate varieties and the use of sustainable farming systems such as organic farming and farming without soil.
sector support
Al-Dhanhani indicated that the most important efforts recently made by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment to support the local agricultural sector and its development, were summarized in providing agricultural production requirements at half the price, providing integrated control services for palm pests free of charge, and launching initiatives such as organic farming that come at the same time in line with the Ministry’s strategy. To preserve environmental resources, achieve food diversity and enhance biosecurity, knowing that organic farming limits the use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, and is considered an integrated agricultural system that combines the best environmental practices, biodiversity, the preservation of natural resources and the application of the highest standards of animal welfare, stressing the contribution of this initiative to creating New specialized trade and job opportunities in the agricultural sector, in addition to creating local organic products that compete with their imported ones, thus achieving a sustainable market for UAE farmers interested in organic agriculture, as the number of locally produced crop varieties exceeded 70 and the number of markets specialized in Emirati organic agriculture products exceeded ten markets.
supportive efforts
Al-Dhanhani mentioned that as part of the supportive efforts, the launch of the agricultural tourism initiative within the ecotourism project “Nature Treasures in the Emirates”, as it encourages sustainable practices, and the initiative aims to inform the public about sustainable farming methods and modern technologies, especially organic agriculture, and ways for farmers to implement operations In addition to conducting many agricultural researches as they are a cornerstone for the development of the national agricultural sector, regulating the use of agricultural pesticides and combating major pests, and issuing a set of legislation related to regulating the use of pesticides, in line with international legislation and promoting the use of control. In addition to preventing the registration, import and circulation of prohibited types of pesticides with high toxicity or long-term residual effect.
importer competition
Al-Dhanhani indicated that the ministry’s keenness to market local products stems from its awareness of the importance of agricultural sustainability and the continuity of Emirati farms in the production process. -19), where the local product has proven its ability to enhance food security and price stability, pointing to the contribution of marketing to creating new jobs and sustainable income.
New actions
Al-Dhanhani pointed out that the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment will implement many measures that will enhance national production, raise production rates and food safety, and include the issuance of legislation that is the main factor in developing and protecting the agricultural sector and increasing its productivity, and providing capacity building services, awareness and agricultural guidance, and the adoption of modern technology. The Ministry focuses primarily on empowering farmers and building their capacities at all stages of the production chain.