Dubai: The UAE's Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has announced new initiatives to improve the efficiency of agricultural advisory services, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday.
The programme is part of the UAE’s broader efforts to expand agricultural production and strengthen national food security.
It aims to increase productivity by improving the technical and professional capabilities of farmers and providing tools for effective technology transfer and sharing of modern agricultural technologies.
WAM added that the programme includes special training in areas such as soil and irrigation, crop and vegetable production, fruit production, pest prevention and management, and beekeeping and honey production.
We also offer lectures and workshops to enhance the skills of agricultural agents, along with field courses that apply theoretical knowledge to practice, improve communication skills and build confidence.
“The Improve Agricultural Extension Efficiency Programme is part of our ongoing efforts to support the sustainability of the UAE’s national farms, which aims to strengthen and grow the sector in the future,” said Mohammed Salman Al-Hammadi, Undersecretary for Food Diversity.
He added: “The programme aims to develop professional pathways for all agricultural extension agents covering key areas of the sector. This will build capacity and capabilities in agricultural extension, which will contribute to improving local agricultural production and transforming the national food system into a more sustainable one.”
The program also includes developing an annual plan of agricultural guidance to monitor and support farmers to improve crop production and protect crops from pests.
It includes a service operation schedule related to each crop tree and growing season, focusing on date, fruit, vegetable, fodder and honey production. Operations also include irrigation, fertilization and land clearing.
The program also produces technical reports and advisory visit reports for farms to ensure continuous improvement and meet farmer needs through data analysis, recommendations and documentation of results.
Al-Hammadi stressed the importance of improved communication between agricultural agents and farmers, and planned regular farm visits and meetings to discuss challenges. The initiative aims to improve crop yields, set clear standards and targets for agricultural guidance programs, and ultimately increase farmer satisfaction.
