Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has announced providing AED641 million ($174.5 million) support to Abu Dhabi’s citizens, farmers, livestock breeders and small-scale producers in the first quarter of 2020.

This support has covered five main programs, including rice, flour, improving farmer’s income, animal feed and compound feed programs, reported state-run news agency Wam.

About 138,000 families, 30,632 breeders and farmers, and 259 small-scale producers and commercial animal farms in Abu Dhabi have benefited from these programs.

Saeed Al Bahri Salem Al Ameri, Director General of ADAFSA, said that ADAFSA’s support programs offered to farmers, livestock breeders and small-scale producers aim at realizing agricultural sustainability in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, increasing production to enhance the emirate’s food security and biosecurity system, and improving quality of local produce.

In addition, ADAFSA is promoting the concept of knowledge and innovation-based production by embracing integrated plans and support programs based on research, review and development, thus contributing to achieving the goals of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 and National Food Security Strategy 2051, Al Ameri stated.

During the first quarter of 2020, ADAFSA offered over 16,300 tons of flour and rice to 138,228 families benefiting from rice and flour support programs in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Through these programs, ADAFSA seeks to enhance food security and improve the quality of life of these families.

Meanwhile, ADAFSA supported 17,060 livestock breeders with AED 261.2 million as part of feed support program. It also offered over AED 271.4 million to 13,572 farmers benefiting from farmer's income improvement program, while about AED 55.4 million was given to small-scale producers and broiler and layer farms.

This support has resulted in great and continuous milestones achieved by the agricultural sector in Abu Dhabi, as livestock numbers have amounted to about 3.5 million head, holdings’ numbers reached to 48,000 agriculture and animal holding, and the cultivated land reached to 749 million square meters producing thousands of tons of crop varieties that contribute efficiently to meeting an important part of local markets’ needs.

ADAFSA’s programs are part of an integrated support system targeting the agricultural sector. There are biosecurity-related programs, such as those dedicated to control palm pests and combat invasive insects and pests. In addition, ADAFSA provides farmers with technical and extension programs to improve their expertise.

Furthermore, ADAFSA offers several services to farmers, including soil tillage and levelling, buying submersible pumps, extension farms that aim at introducing them to the best agricultural techniques and practices, providing irrigation water, and product marketing programs through which ADAFSA aims at creating effective channels to market farmers’ produce and enhance its competitiveness in markets.

Additionally, ADAFSA’s indirect support programs for livestock breeders include vaccination and biosecurity programs, veterinary treatment services and laboratory tests, camel fertility assessment and treatment services, livestock registration and identification services, and seasonal markets that aim at supporting breeders and farmers market their products. Throughout the year, ADAFSA also organizes extension and awareness activities targeting animal breeders, to introduce them to the best practices of relevancy to farm management and animal farming.

During the first quarter of 2020, ADAFSA has provided 142,063 agricultural and food services to the public through its digital channels and customer service centres across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. ADAFSA is keen to provide high-quality services to the public using its service system, which includes 49 different services.