Ibrahim Selim (Abu Dhabi)
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority is implementing an awareness campaign about the “Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence”, its conditions, categories and mechanisms, how to apply and other questions that farmers need. January 15, 2023, by organizing remote workshops to ensure access to the largest possible segment of farmers and those wishing to learn about the terms of the award and the methods of submission, which include three main categories, the first for the distinguished farmer and breeder, the second for agricultural innovation, and the third for commercial farms in both parts; plant and animal.
Mubarak Al Mansouri, Executive Director of the Agricultural Affairs Sector at the Authority, said: “The award is an incentive and encouragement for farmers and livestock breeders, and we thank His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Agriculture and Food Safety, for this support.” presented to farmers, calling on farmers wishing to apply to the award categories for optimism, especially since the categories are multiple.” Pointing out during his speech at a workshop organized by the authority “remotely” that he believes that everyone is committed to the standards set in terms of rationalizing water consumption or using tools that increase productivity and face challenges. The award is an incentive for all, and the conditions are the natural practices that the farmer performs on a daily basis. It remains to include the required criteria, including the preservation of natural resources and other practices, with evidence of those practices attached. He stated that participation is allowed in only one category, and in If the contestant submits more than one category, the first category will be chosen and the rest of the categories will be ignored.
He pointed out that the “Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence” is accompanied by a number of competitions, within the activities of the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, and includes competitions for the best product of dates, the best breeds, the milk competition, the weights competition, and a weekly auction of livestock, in addition to competitions and live performances. For cooking with local products and date products.
The activities organized by the authority “remotely” witnessed a turnout from farmers from all over the country who got all the answers to the inquiries, especially in the issue of the possibility of applying for more than one category, and the value of the prizes is about (6.7 million dirhams) six million and seven hundred thousand dirhams, divided into 56 awards for owners of farms, productive estates, beekeepers, aquaculture and commercial farms, in various emirates of the country, in addition to accompanying competitions in various agricultural fields.
The award includes 3 main categories and 12 sub-categories, and the “Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence” aims to confirm the pioneering role of the state in stimulating sustainable agriculture and innovation, and confirm the wise leadership’s keenness to celebrate distinguished farmers and breeders, and honor those who support efforts to achieve the goals of the UAE towards achieving Global leadership in food security, as well as devoting the concepts of agricultural sustainability, and developing community awareness of food security issues.
Terms and Conditions
Regarding the general conditions and controls of the award, it was emphasized that participation in the award is limited to farmers and breeders of livestock in the country, and that the participant in the “commercial farms category” has a valid commercial license to practice the activity, and the contestant is entitled to participate in only one category of the award categories, and he must The participant must adhere to the sub-requirements of the category in which he is participating, and that the possession should not be in violation of the regulations, laws and legislation issued in the country, and in the open farms category “vegetables and fruits” it is required that the area cultivated with vegetable crops not be less than 5 dunums, and in the category of protected agriculture “protected or net houses” it is required not to The area cultivated with crops is less than 2 dunums.
The authority stated that the percentage of excellence aims to raise and improve the level of farms on a continuous basis, which is a major aspect of the award, as farms and estates are nominated to be in the distinguished category when they obtain a total of points exceeding 70%, and they are qualified to enter the award list according to the highest ratios and points obtained. and included in the relevant classification.
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