Photo Credit: WAM
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) is showcasing a range of initiatives focused on sustainable agriculture, food security and agricultural innovation at the fifth Al Dhafra Dates Festival and Auction, being held in Zayed City from October 16 to 25.
Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, the festival brings together farmers, livestock breeders, beekeepers and agricultural producers, while providing a platform to promote date palms, dates and locally produced agricultural products.
The event also aims to encourage producers to improve quality standards, exchange expertise and strengthen knowledge in date palm cultivation and agricultural production.
This year’s programme includes 22 competitions offering 180 prizes across categories such as dates, honey, cooking, date packaging, drawing and photography. Daily date auctions are also taking place alongside cultural and heritage activities.
During the festival, ADAFSA is presenting its new corporate identity as well as the Agricultural Transformation Strategy for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, designed to create a more productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural sector through technology, innovation and more efficient use of resources.
The strategy is built around several priorities covering productivity, resource efficiency, resilience, food safety, technology adoption and financial sustainability.
Under the long-term plan, Abu Dhabi aims to increase self-sufficiency in staple food commodities from 30 percent to 70 percent by 2040.
The strategy also targets raising the agricultural sector’s contribution to the emirate’s gross domestic product to AED34.6 billion, cutting irrigation water consumption by 49 percent and increasing the share of farms using advanced agricultural technologies to 70 percent.
A total of 13 programmes are included in the strategy, covering agricultural productivity, water and energy efficiency, soil management, food waste reduction, artificial intelligence and the wider adoption of advanced technologies.
Focus on the date palm sector
Date palm farming is a major component of the agricultural transformation programme due to its economic importance, role in food security and contribution to the sustainable use of natural resources.
As part of the strategy, ADAFSA plans to restructure date palm farms by gradually replacing low-productivity trees that consume large amounts of water.
The programme is expected to improve production efficiency, enhance the quality of dates and strengthen the commercial sustainability of farms.
It includes plans to plant 400,000 palm trees from high-quality and high-productivity varieties. ADAFSA said the initiative is intended to improve market value and economic returns while supporting more sustainable water consumption and reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position in date production.
Supporting farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs
ADAFSA is also promoting the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, which encourages farmers, livestock breeders and beekeepers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices.
The authority is highlighting the award’s Post-Winning Programme, which supports winners through training, professional development, intellectual property protection and marketing opportunities aimed at helping agricultural projects expand.
In the beekeeping sector, ADAFSA is presenting the recently launched Abu Dhabi Honey Programme.
The programme includes 17 initiatives focused on improving honey quality, developing the Emirati bee strain, supporting local beekeepers and strengthening research, certification, investment and export opportunities.
Veterinary services and farm diversification
The authority is also outlining plans to further develop veterinary services across Abu Dhabi, with a focus on animal disease prevention, surveillance and biosecurity.
The programme includes the use of smart diagnostic, monitoring and early-warning systems intended to improve livestock health and enable faster responses to potential animal disease risks.
Another initiative being promoted at the festival is the On-farm Economic Activities Initiative, which allows farm owners to carry out 145 approved economic activities alongside traditional agricultural and livestock production.
The initiative is designed to help farmers diversify revenue sources, create additional commercial opportunities and improve the long-term financial sustainability of agricultural businesses.
ADAFSA said the programmes presented at the festival form part of its broader efforts to modernise Abu Dhabi’s agricultural sector, protect agricultural and livestock investments and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of food supply chains across the emirate.
