Abu Dhabi: His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), reviewed key indicators from ADAFSA’s 2022-2025 strategic plan.
The plan focuses on enhancing the agriculture and food sector’s contribution to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, aligning with the government’s vision for a diversified economy, sustainable agricultural development, and global leadership in food security.
The food safety index achieved a 96 percent success rate, while the agricultural sustainability index reached 48.8 percent in 2023. The overall strategic indicator achievement rate was 97.6 percent, with a 98.7 percent completion rate for strategic projects.
Major accomplishments included developing a roadmap for the agricultural genome, creating a sustainable agricultural development plan, and launching the “Zadna Rating” program for evaluating food establishments. Additionally, ADAFSA established a data platform for agriculture and food security, implemented air monitoring on farms, and introduced a program to reduce food loss and waste. The Authority also launched a smart support model and established the “Collaborating Centre for Camel Diseases,” a global first.
The food loss and waste index in Abu Dhabi, measured for the first time, stood at 162 kilograms per person. The agricultural sector contributed AED 14.5 billion to Abu Dhabi’s GDP, with total production reaching 344,228 tonnes. The sector’s total farm area was 82,733 square kilometers, and 1,636,959 forest and fruit trees were planted. Additionally, 1,530 farms received the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, and water consumption in agriculture decreased to 1.89 billion cubic meters from 2 billion cubic meters in 2019.
The feed market, supporting 40,000 breeders across the UAE, achieved AED 1.72 billion in sales since its launch in June 2023. The Livestock Auction Platform generated AED 15.5 million from 42 auctions since its launch in late 2022. Veterinary services were provided to approximately 566,710 livestock, with 10 million vaccination doses administered in 2023.
Since 2019, ADAFSA has received 16 local and international awards, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Award, the Golden Bridge Awards, the ACMG Award, the AgriNext Awards, the Stevie International Awards, and the Digital Government Award.
This strategic plan is a roadmap for establishing sustainable food systems, addressing sector challenges, enhancing agricultural sustainability, and reducing groundwater use in agriculture.
HEALTH | Cancer in Men: Study predicts 93% rise in mortality by 2050