ADAFSA Launches 2nd Round Of 'Sheikh Mansour Agricultural Excellence Award'

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 05th Sep, 2023) Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), ADAFSA has announced the launch of the second round of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award.

The Award's value has been increased to AED10 million divided among participants in the main Award categories, participants in several associated competitions within the "Sheikh Zayed Festival" in Al Wathba, as well as participants in various festivals organised as part of the Award.

The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award aims to stimulate the agricultural sector, both plant and animal, while also recognising outstanding UAE farmers and livestock breeders. T

he Award will highlight their crucial role in achieving agricultural sustainability, food security, and elevating the quality of local production. Additionally, it aims to foster a spirit of positive competition among farmers and livestock breeders.

The award also aims to emphasise the UAE's leading role in stimulating sustainable agriculture and innovation and to highlight the keenness of the Wise Leadership to honour outstanding farmers and breeders. The Award is also a tribute to ADAFSA's achievements in the field of agricultural sustainability and food and biosecurity.

Dr. Mariam Hareb Al Suwaidi, Deputy Director-General for Operational Affairs and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the Award, expressed her deep gratitude and appreciation for the generous increase in the Award's value to AED10 million, emphasising that this increase reflects His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan's commitment to encouraging and honouring outstanding farmers, commercial farms, and innovators in both plant and animal agriculture.

“This encouragement aims to promote best agricultural practices and highlights the importance of the agriculture and livestock sector in the UAE's sustainable development,” she added.

During a press conference held at ADAFSA's headquarters today, she stated that the second edition of the award features an increase in prize values and the introduction of a new category within the award's categories this year, along with 9 diverse festivals and 21 contest across 62 associated competitions.

The award has been divided into four main categories. The first category featuring eight sub-categories for distinguished farmers and breeders. Four awards will be given to crop production-related sub-categories, including the Best Farm in Open Field Cultivation, the Best Farm in Greenhouse Cultivation, the Best Farm in Fruit Production, and the Best Organic Farm.

The other four awards will be given to animal production-related sub-categories, including Productive Farm, Small-Scale Producers, Beekeepers, and Aquatic Farms.

The Agricultural Innovation Category features two awards, the first for crop production and the other for animal production. Meanwhile, the Commercial Farms Category features two awards, one for commercial animal production, and the other for commercial crop production.

She also highlighted the new category introduced within the award's categories in the second edition, dedicated to recognising outstanding women among plant farmers and livestock breeders. This category includes two awards, one for the best distinguished female farmer and the other for the best distinguished female livestock breeder. Its purpose is to support and spotlight the role and efforts of women in the agricultural sector and their contribution to enhancing the food security system.

In addition to the Primary Award categories, this year's edition includes various accompanying competitions, such as the best product of dates, best manufacturing products from palm, best fruit basket of the house, best fig basket, and best Sidr fruits competitions. Additionally, there will be a live cooking competition, a contest for the best animal and marine food processing, a competition for the best dairy product, livestock competitions, and an awareness and promotional competition. A competition was also created for media institutions and social media influencers in the field of awareness and promotion of the agricultural sector in UAE.

The Award's activities will be complemented by diverse festivals, including the Fig Festival, Almond Festival, Strawberry Festival, Sidr Festival, Corn Festival, Local Aquaculture Farms Products Festival (Our Farms Fish / Desert Fish), Traditional Food Festival for Productive Families, Agricultural Inputs Festival, and Dairy Products Festival – Factories Category, all organised within the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba.

According to the Award's timetable, registration will be closed on 30th November, where the technical and field evaluation phase will begin. Qualified farms will be visited to be evaluated according to the criteria and conditions of the Award, which were devised by a specialised technical committee of experts and technicians in agriculture, both plant and animal, in addition to agricultural innovation.

The finalists will be announced after the preliminary evaluation results are approved, and the Award ceremony to honour the winners will take place in February 2024, with the presence of all participants.