All about the agricultural sector in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates has rapidly grown into a strong, thriving economy. While most of its success is attributed to oil exports, other industries in the country, such as agriculture in the UAE, have also grown side-by-side.
It’s important to note that the UAE has an arid climate characterised by high temperatures, low rainfall, lack of natural waterways and poor soil. However, these challenges have not stopped the country from making significant progress in the agricultural industry.
Keep reading to learn more about the fascinating sector of agriculture in the UAE.
HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE IN THE UAE
Since the beginning, agriculture has been one of the most popular activities of the Emirati people. The key agricultural areas for farmers has been been Diqdaqah in Ras Al Khaimah, Falaj al Mualla in Umm al Quwain, the coastal area of Fujairah, Wadi adh Dhayd in Sharjah, Al Awir in Dubai and Al Ain and Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi.
While obstacles such as scarcity of water resources, severe environmental conditions and soil salinity have affected development, the UAE has found innovative solutions to circumvent these challenges. These solutions have been largely found in the underground aquifers or underground water supplies from the mountains.
Agriculture in the UAE is carried out on a total, cultivable area of around 160,000 hectares, most of which is taken up by date palms. Over the years, the governments in each emirate have provided incentives to farmers, in efforts to increase production. For instance, farmers in the UAE receive 50% subsidy on seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, as well as special loans to buy machinery and equipment.
Today, there are more than 30,000 farms in the UAE, an exponential increase from around 4,000 farms in the early 1970s. The rapid development of agriculture in the UAE was seen during the 1980s, when the country started using up to 30% of its food requirements. Apart from farming in Dubai and the other emirates, there has also been an increase in fishing and poultry production, with local dairies meeting 92% of the demand in the country.
WHICH CROPS ARE GROWN IN THE UAE?
One of the major crops grown in the UAE that you may already be familiar with is the date palm or Phoenix dactylifera. There are millions of date palms in the UAE and the country is responsible for 6% of the world’s date production. The hot climate of the UAE actually favours the growth of dates, which is why they are in abundance in the region.
Other plants such as bougainvillea, flame tree (delonix regia), frangipani (plumeria) and the tropical hibiscus (hibiscus rosa-sinensis) can also thrive in the UAE climate.
Among the different crops grown in the UAE, you can also find a lot of vegetables. These include tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, cauliflower and squash. Other than this, you can also find fruit crops such as citrus fruits and mangoes.
GROWTH OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE UAE
One major obstacle faced by the industry of agriculture in the UAE is the scarcity of water reserves. While significant efforts have been made to increase the cultivable area in the early years, it resulted in the depletion of underground aquifers, drops in water tables and an increase in soil and water salinity.
However, the latest technologies and processes have been adopted to boost agriculture in the UAE, under the patronage of the Late H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first President of the UAE. It was also part of his vision to shift the country towards sustainable agriculture practices in the UAE, to ensure the preservation of water resources.
In June 2020, the UAE Cabinet also introduced the National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture, which aims to increase the efficiency levels of farms, increase self-sufficiency when it comes to certain agricultural crops and reduce water usage for irrigation, among other goals. All of these steps are geared toward enhancing the sustainable agricultural sector in the UAE.
Recently, agriculture in the UAE has made a shift towards modern irrigation systems to replace the traditional flood irrigation, to reduce water consumption. These practices have been adopted by more than half of the farms in the UAE. Organic farming practices have also been adopted as part of sustainable agriculture in the UAE.
Currently, there are more than 50 organic vegetation farms in the UAE, as well as three animal production farms and one manufacturing facility. The UAE aims to continue sustainable agriculture methods to boost sustainable food production; this is because almost 80% of the food requirements of the country is still being fulfilled through imports. It also aims to ensure that the ecosystem is not harmed as the country increases production.
That’s our guide to the agricultural industry in the UAE! You can also find out more about the Emirates Bio Farm, as well as organic farms in Abu Dhabi, which offer fresh, organic produce and farm tours. Also, if you would like to visit other local farms, do check out some of the best farms in Dubai.
