Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, has opened a wheat farm project in Mleiha.
The initiative aims to encourage more farmers to turn their hand to growing the crop, state news agency Wam reported on Thursday.
Sheikh Dr Sultan said there was a long history of growing crops in Sharjah and recent experiments of cultivating wheat in Mleiha had been successful.
He said the Sharjah government would support farmers financially, with the provision of pasture and also in scientific research to preserve the local varieties.
Sharjah’s production would also be free of all types of pesticides and toxins.
Sheikh Dr Sultan also briefed on the most prominent types of wheat that have been tested, from Arab and Asian regions, in addition to local wheat crops.
During the ceremony, Sheikh Dr Sultan signed three decrees approving the establishment of associations for livestock breeders, vegetable and wheat farmers.
On the same day, Sheikh Dr Sultan also opened the Al Nozha Pasture centre in Al Madam.
It spans nine million square metres and will provide many farms in the region.
The move comes as the UAE bolsters its food security by producing more food, from oysters to lettuce, in the country.
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