The First Lady of Zanzibar reviews Sharjah’s experience in developing organic wheat strains

The First Lady of Zanzibar, Maryam Mwinyi, and her accompanying delegation were briefed on Sharjah’s experience in growing organic wheat and the latest technologies and systems it adopts, in addition to the experimental farm and biotechnology laboratories concerned with developing hard and soft wheat strains.

This came during her visit today with the accompanying delegation to the wheat farm in Mleiha, one of the projects of the Sharjah Agricultural and Animal Production Foundation “IKTVA”, affiliated with the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah.

The First Lady of Zanzibar, Maryam Mwinyi, expressed her admiration for the wheat farm, saying: It is truly amazing. From a desert to a wheat farm extending over a cultivated area of ​​more than 1,400 hectares, this is an exceptional achievement. I learned a lot during this visit, as I saw for myself how everything is done in a precise and precise manner, starting from the biotechnology laboratory, then the research and experiments stage, all the way to the real farm. It is a wonderful model for any successful project that is built step by step.

She added: “I obtained a lot of information about the best types of wheat produced here, and I saw the results with my own eyes in the laboratory, especially with regard to measuring the protein content, which was very high compared to the wheat available in the markets. This proves that the laboratory is doing an excellent job in developing strong strains of high-quality wheat that can withstand harsh climate conditions.”

Maryam Moini said: I was amazed to see the desert transformed into a farm at this level, and this alone reveals a lot about the quality of the grains used. I also saw the water reserve, which is huge, but what is most impressive is that this type of grain consumes a very small amount of water, which is a wonderful thing. I can only express our gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, for launching such an amazing project for his people because it is a project that reflects his true love and concern for them. The wheat produced here is organic, safe, healthy and very useful. For people.

During the tour of the wheat farm facilities, the First Lady of Zanzibar, Maryam Mwini, along with her accompanying delegation, were introduced to the modern techniques adopted by the farm in growing organic wheat, which contributed to saving 30% of irrigation water, and the diversity and integration in the development of the strains that began in the first season with 34 strains, and their cultivation doubled until this season it reached 1,800 strains that are developed through the wheat hybridization program and are being studied in the first biotechnology laboratory of its kind in the wheat breeding and genetic improvement program in the UAE in accordance with best practices. In the field of sustainable plant production and plant protection in wheat cultivation, which resulted in it winning the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) award in a global achievement that reflects the role of the Emirate of Sharjah and the UAE in general in promoting innovative food systems capable of adapting to climate change.