It is not every day that one sees some of country’s leading figures lined up, spades in hand, preparing for work on a farm. And yet this was the intriguing image that emerged from the recent launch of a national agriculture drive aimed not only at further securing the UAE’s food supply but at encouraging citizens and residents alike to grow more of their own produce.
Al Marmoom farm in Dubai on Sunday played host to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Alongside him were Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed as well as the Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed. They and other ministers were coming from a Cabinet meeting where the new project – Plant the Emirates – had been launched.
Plant the Emirates envisages a new National Agriculture Centre and other initiatives to further develop advanced farming technology, improve yields and quality, build links with the private sector and increase the number of farms and agricultural workers in the UAE. Importantly, it will also encourage people to develop green fingers by growing food at home.
Although it is true that agriculture is not new to the Emirates – people have farmed here for generations, often coming up with innovative ways of maximising yields despite low water supply and arid conditions – challenges remain. The UAE’s largely desert environment and the risks posed to supply chains by pandemics or international disruptions are particularly acute. And although the proportion of food that the Emirates imports is declining, the country is not yet self-sufficient.
Therefore, it is vital to get as many people as possible on board with new ways of thinking about food. The major strides in Emirati agriculture that have been made over the decades, including last year’s high-tech wheat-growing project at a 400-hectare farm complex in Sharjah and last month’s large-scale quinoa cultivation trials, will be even more effective if the population plays an active role in growing and producing. The UAE’s rapid urbanisation need not be a barrier to this: one need only consider the success of the allotment system in the UK or rooftop farming in built-up Hong Kong.
Encouraging people to play their part could also change attitudes to consumption. Data last year from the UAE’s first national household food waste survey found that 38 per cent of food prepared went to waste at a cost of $163.3 million and Ne’ma, the UAE’s national food loss and waste initiative, is driving efforts to reduce food waste by 50 per cent by 2030. Building a closer link between people and their food is an important step in improving these figures.
Another important benefit is that of health and developing better eating habits, with fresh produce being instrumental to that drive.
The push to secure and improve food supplies in the UAE is as old as the country itself. Sheikh Mohammed reflected on this when he said the Plant the Emirates project “carries forward the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE Founding Father, fulfilling his vision to green, cultivate, and nurture the land of the UAE”. That vision is being brought nearer by 21st-century technology and innovation – often presenting credible investment opportunities for domestic and international companies. But for it to really take root, more of us should grow our own.
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If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
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The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
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Where to donate in the UAE
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
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How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
Background: Chemical Weapons
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