"We grow for sustainability".. A new project that enhances the role of Emirati women in the agricultural sector

ABU DHABI, 27 JANUARY / WAM / Under the generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates”, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, the General Women’s Union continues to enhance women’s presence in the agricultural sector by launching a project “We Plant for Sustainability” in cooperation with its strategic partners from federal and local government agencies in addition to private sector institutions.

The project aims to qualify Emirati women’s cadres and give them the necessary skills and experience to develop the agricultural sector in the country. The project includes training programs focusing on sustainable agriculture, supporting innovative women’s agricultural projects, and developing local production by enhancing quality and competitiveness in line with the food security and sustainable agricultural development strategies that the UAE seeks. To achieve them, it also aims to revive and perpetuate the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the field of agriculture.

The “Plant for Sustainability” project is in line with the objectives of the national program “Farm the Emirates”, which enhances food security rates and encourages the adoption of smart and sustainable agricultural practices, in addition to strengthening new partnerships with the private sector and increasing the green area in the country. The project also comes within the framework of the national policy to empower women and aims To increase the integration of women into the agricultural sector and provide entrepreneurship opportunities in sustainable agriculture.

The project targets women working in the agricultural sector, in addition to university students and housewives. It also seeks to train 3,500 women over five years, support 140 agricultural projects led by Emirati women, and increase agricultural production to more than 20%.

The project includes three main programs: the “Training and Development” program, which includes summer camps for schools, training workshops in sustainable agriculture, organizing field visits to local farms, in addition to training workshops to transform female farm owners into entrepreneurs.

The “Sustainable Agriculture” program focuses on hydroponic and organic agriculture and targets women with agricultural licenses, while establishing agricultural technology incubators dedicated to women.

The “Marketing and Commercial Support” program includes creating local marketing opportunities for women’s agricultural products, supporting home farming projects, and organizing events and forums aimed at strengthening commercial ties.

Her Excellency Noura Al Suwaidi, Secretary General of the General Women’s Union, expressed her pride in the General Women’s Union continuing to put forward initiatives that enhance women’s ability to participate effectively in society, stressing that these initiatives serve to empower women in various fields, thus enhancing their role in preserving the environment and achieving its sustainability.

Her Excellency added: The success of these initiatives comes thanks to the wise guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who places women’s empowerment at the heart of all development initiatives.

For her part, Engineer Ghalia Al Mannai, Head of the Strategic and Development Affairs Committee of the General Women’s Union, indicated that the Union is continuing its journey inspired by the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to enhance the role of women in the agricultural sector and achieve sustainable agriculture that contributes to supporting the national economy and enhancing food security.

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