Honoring 34 winners of the fourth session of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence

ABU DHABI, 17 APRIL / WAM / Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Presidential Cabinet, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the Authority honored 34 winners in the fourth session of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence, in recognition of their contributions to developing the agricultural sector and strengthening the food security system in the UAE.

The ceremony, which was held at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, was attended by Sheikh Ahmed bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agricultural Club, His Excellency Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Manan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, His Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahhak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Secretary General of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, and Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Authority. For Agriculture and Food Safety, His Excellency Dr. Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, and His Excellency Moza Suhail Al Muhairi, Deputy Director General of the Authority for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Committee of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence, along with a number of senior officials, personalities, media representatives, and influencers.

His Excellency Dr. Tariq Ahmed Al Ameri extended his deepest thanks and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” stressing that His Highness’s vision in support of vital sectors, including the agricultural sector, contributed to consolidating the foundations of security and stability and enhancing the state’s readiness for various challenges.

He also expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, for his continued support for the award and his encouragement of agricultural innovation.

His Excellency explained that the award has established its position as a leading national platform for establishing a culture of excellence and enhancing local production, as in its fourth session it attracted 476 entries in the main award, in addition to 3,395 entries in the accompanying competitions.

He added that the evaluation processes adopted precise criteria focusing on the efficiency of resource use, production quality, and environmental commitment, and resulted in honoring winners who provided inspiring models in developing their farms and estates.

He stressed that geopolitical challenges and fluctuations in global supply chains highlighted the importance of enhancing national production, noting that farmers’ success stories constitute an essential foundation for building a more sustainable and innovative agricultural system.

He congratulated the winners and thanked all the participants, the supporting bodies and the organizing committees, stressing the continuation of work to develop the award and enhance its role in supporting agricultural sustainability.

For her part, Her Excellency Moza Suhail Al Muhairi expressed her pride in the broad participation in the fourth session and the growing interest it reflects in the agricultural sector at the state level, stressing that the sound vision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the UAE, Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, had a great impact in consolidating the culture of agricultural innovation, empowering farmers, and enhancing the competitiveness of the sector.

In a statement after honoring the winners, Her Excellency praised the growing presence of Emirati women in various fields of agricultural work, stressing that their remarkable participation in the award and the accompanying competitions reflects their ability to innovate and lead productive projects that contribute to enhancing food security. She also highlighted the vital role of Emirati youth in introducing modern technologies and developing sustainable agricultural methods, which makes them a driving force in the development process in this vital sector.

She stressed that the award will continue to consolidate its position as a leading national platform that stimulates excellence and supports partnerships aimed at improving the agricultural sector, congratulating the winners and thanking all partners and supporters.

In terms of results, Rashid Salim Al Ketbi won first place in the category of the best farm for open-air farming, while Majid Muhair Al Ketbi won first place in the category of the best farm for greenhouse farming, and Hassan Juma Al Zaabi won first place in the category of the best farm for fruit production.

In the productive farms category, Ahmed Sultan Al Kaabi came in first place, while Delma Ostrich Breeding Farm won first place in the small producers category, and Fadel Nasser Al-Saadi achieved first place in the beekeepers category.

Abdul Rahman Rashid Al Shamsi also won first place in the Best Fish Farming Farm category, Hamad Mohammed Al Karbi won first place in the Youth Projects category, while Hamad Musabah Al Tunaiji won first place in the Agricultural Technologies category. In the commercial farms category, Emirates Aquatic Farm won first place for plant production, and Omega Farms won first place for animal production.

Khadija Darwish Al Qubaisi also won first place in the Best Distinguished Farmer category, and Noura Khalifa Al Jabri won first place in the Best Distinguished Nanny category.

The ceremony also witnessed the honoring of 11 entities from the government and private sectors in appreciation of their prominent role in supporting the objectives of the award and their effective contribution to the success of the activities of the fourth session and enhancing their impact on the agricultural sector.

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