Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has announced a new initiative to increase the efficiency of agricultural advisory services, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.
This program is part of the UAE's broader efforts to increase agricultural production and strengthen national food security.
It aims to improve the professional skills and capacities of agricultural agents, equip them with tools for effective technology transfer and sharing of modern agricultural techniques, thereby increasing productivity.
WAM added: This program includes special training in areas such as soil and irrigation, crop and vegetable production, fruit production, pest prevention and control, and beekeeping and honey production.
It also has lectures and workshops to enhance the skills of agricultural operators, alongside field courses that provide practical application of theoretical knowledge, improve communication skills and increase self-confidence.
Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Deputy Minister of Food Diversity, said: “The program to improve the efficiency of agricultural extension is part of our ongoing commitment to support the sustainability of national farms in the UAE with the aim of strengthening and growing this sector in the future. In the ministry
He added: The purpose of this program is to create a specialized path for all agricultural promoters who cover the main fields of this sector. In this way, we seek to build agricultural extension capacity and competence, which in turn will help increase local agricultural production and support the transformation of national food systems into more sustainable ones.
The program also includes the preparation of an annual plan for agricultural guidance, which monitors and supports farmers in improving crop production and protecting crops from pests.
It will include a timeline for tree service operations and growing seasons for each crop, focusing on date palm, fruit, vegetables, fodder and honey production. This operation will also include irrigation, fertilizing and land reclamation.
The program also prepares technical reports and advisory farm visit reports, including data analysis, recommendations and documentation of results to ensure continuous improvement and meet farmers' needs.
Hammadi stressed the importance of increasing communication between agricultural agents and farmers, by planning regular visits to farms and meetings to discuss challenges. The goal of this initiative is to improve crop yield, set clear standards and goals for agricultural guidance programs, and ultimately increase farmer satisfaction.
