The Farmers’ Council in Ras Al Khaimah has explored ways to strengthen domestic production and expand market access for their crops.

The Council was Chaired by Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, as part of the Customer Councils held under the Zero Government Bureaucracy Programme, an Emirates News Agency (WAM) report said.

The Minister stressed the importance of expanding the presence of Emirati produce across supply chains, including hospitality, food processing and retail. She noted that the success of these partnerships also depends on farmers’ participation and their commitment to supplying produce and meeting partners’ needs. 

Fruitful partnerships

This helps build successful partnerships that encourage more companies to work with UAE farms, creating broader and more sustainable market opportunities for local produce.

She outlined the efforts of the Ministry and the National Agriculture Centre to expand market opportunities for locally grown crops by developing collection centres and private sector partnerships, including cooperation with leading food processing companies. 

She noted that these efforts aim to help farmers bring their produce to market and access sales channels offering competitive prices and attractive returns, while refining collection and marketing arrangements based on participating farmers’ experiences and feedback.

National food system

Dr Al Dahak emphasised the important role farmers have played in supporting the national food system by helping meet local market needs. She noted that strengthening this contribution requires continued support for farms across the UAE, improvements in the quality of their produce, and closer alignment of production with national needs and market opportunities.

She noted that developing agricultural services and programmes is an ongoing process informed by farmers’ feedback and experiences, helping improve agricultural extension and support systems and shape projects and initiatives. 

She stressed that work continues to address the challenges farmers raise, and that agricultural initiatives require time, follow-up and continuous improvement to deliver their intended benefits. 

These efforts also seek to extend support to as many farmers as possible taking in to account their farms’ needs, crop types, production volumes and contribution to national food production.—TradeArabia News Service