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.
The program is part of the UAE's wider efforts to boost agricultural production and strengthen national food security.
Its aim is to improve the skills and professional capacities of agricultural workers, equip them with tools for effective technology transfer and sharing of modern agricultural techniques, thereby increasing productivity.
The 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, WAM added.
It also features lectures and workshops to improve the skills of agricultural agents, alongside field courses that provide practical application of theoretical knowledge, improve communication skills and increase self-confidence.
“The Agricultural Extension Efficiency Improvement Program is part of our ongoing commitment to support the sustainability of national farms in the UAE to strengthen and develop the sector in the future,” said Mohammed Salman Al-Hammadi, Deputy Secretary of the Food Diversity Sector. at the ministry.
He added: “The aim of the program is to develop a specialized pathway for all agricultural extension agents covering the main areas in the sector. Through this, we seek to build agricultural extension capacity and competence, which in turn would contribute to increased local agricultural production and support the transformation of national food systems to more sustainable ones.
The program also includes the development of an annual plan for agricultural guidelines that will monitor and support farmers in improving crop production and protecting crops from pests.
It will include a schedule of service operations related to trees and growing seasons for each crop, focusing on date palms, fruits, vegetables, forage and honey production. Operations will also include irrigation, fertilization and soil reclamation.
The program will also prepare technical and farm advisory visit reports, including data analysis, recommendations and documentation of results to ensure continuous improvement and address farmers' needs.
Al-Hammadi stressed the importance of enhanced communication between agricultural agents and farmers, with plans for regular farm visits and meetings to discuss challenges. The goal of this initiative is to improve crop yields, set clear standards and goals for agricultural extension programs, and ultimately increase farmer satisfaction.
