Hello and welcome to Emirati, a monthly newsletter from <i>The National.</i> The UAE is embarking on a crucial journey of transforming agriculture to forge a more sustainable future for its people – and women are at the heart of its ambitions. In the emirate of Abu Dhabi alone, more than 2,000 farms are owned by women, highlighting their critical role in maintaining a consistent production line to alleviate food and water security concerns and make the Emirates less reliant on imports. I met three members of this farming “sorority” in Al Ain, who are blending traditional methods with cutting-edge technologies. Their deep-rooted love of farming is clear and they are eager to help drive forward agriculture in the Emirates. Reda Saqer, a 61-year-old widow and mother of five, is a shining example of the passion these “sisters of agriculture” possess. “I will never sell [the farm]. This is my love. Would you sell any of your children? This farm is my soul,” she said. Thank you for reading, Shireena Al Nowais A band of Emirati farming “sisters” are embracing innovation to cultivate a more sustainable future and support the nation's ambitious plans to promote growth in agriculture across future decades. Eight women recently graduated from a female-only course on the UAE's Farmer Field Schools programme. The initiative – involving 48 men and women from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah – focused on the management of date palms and control of the red palm weevil that blights them. However, it also served as an opportunity to recognise the important contribution of women in agriculture and showed they are far from ploughing a lonely furrow in a sector more commonly associated with men. It was one of five such programmes launched in May by the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, under the guidance of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. More than 2,300 farms in Abu Dhabi are owned by women, most of which are either privately purchased or granted by the government. Many of these women have a deep connection to their farms, referring to them as their “child”. Salima Al Shamsi, a mother of six who received her farm in Al Ain in 1999, relished the opportunity to meet other women who have made their mark in agriculture. “We were all like sisters. Each one of us had ideas,” said Ms<b> </b>Al Shamsi. “I didn’t miss a single day [of the course]. It added so much to my knowledge. It gave me confidence and incentive to focus more on my farm and to keep learning.” Kadija Al Qubaisi<b> </b>named her farm Nad Al Dhab, which translates to Dune of Gold. The name came to her one day in 2015 when she saw the farm next to a sand dune that glittered like gold. “That’s when I knew I had to have it,” she said. Today, Nad Al Dhab, in Ramah, Al Ain, has grown into a brand. From selling honey and dates, her logo now appears on hats, flasks and notepads. The latest data released by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment shows that the UAE has approximately 38,000 operational farms. Lessons learnt from the challenges faced by farmers in the Emirates could help the UAE to play a leading role in addressing global food security and water scarcity, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment said earlier this month. Dr Amna Al Dahak made the comments during a visit to a farm in Al Ain. She saw how challenges caused by the hot climate and water scarcity were being overcome. Climate change and growing water scarcity mean more countries must find new and unique solutions, she added. The farm, which belongs to Emirati entrepreneur Abdulrahman Al Shamsi, is among those that have shown how developing new models can allow farmers to thrive amid adverse conditions. The farm in the Al Arad region spans 160,000 square metres and grows produce including dates, pomegranates, courgettes, watermelons, lemons, cabbages and mangoes. "In our visit today to Abdulrahman Al Shamsi’s farm, we have seen a very innovative model in terms of a very complete and coherent agricultural system where they have aquaculture, they have poultry and livestock, and also the open field in the closed system farming," she said. The Plant the Emirates campaign announced this month is the latest step by the UAE authorities to develop the country’s agricultural sector and promote food security. It involves setting up a national centre to promote domestic farming with the aim of increasing agricultural production by one fifth over the next five years. Traditionally heavily reliant on food imports, the UAE has more recently attracted significant investment in agricultural technology to increase its own output. For example, vertical farms, in which crops are grown indoors in stacked layers under artificial light, and hydroponic farms, where crops are nurtured in nutrients instead of soil to cut water use, have been set up. In addition, efforts in the UAE to reduce food waste were part of the wider strategy to strengthen food security. Plant the Emirates aims to encourage residents to grow crops at home and to increase the country's green spaces.
