Abu Dhabi grant for farmers from August

posted on 11/05/2011: 105 views

Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) will begin disbursing government grants to farmers in the emirate from August 1 as part of the restructured agricultural support programme.

The new agricultural support programme assumes critical importance as the payment will now be made to the farmers only if they complied with all the rules and regulations governing the preservation of water resources and the modernisation of farming in the emirate.

Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa, Director of Communication and Community Service at ADFCA, said the stringent conditions tied to the disbursal of government assistance were meant to raise the bar on farming practices in the emirate in terms of profitability, ecological and environmental soundness and best practices.

"Non-cultivation of animal feeds, especially the water-intensive Rhodes grass is one of the principal conditions for receiving government aid. Animal growers among the farmers are, however, permitted to cultivate feeds in a limited area for feeding their privately owned livestock, subject to ADFCA's approval," he pointed out.

"Membership in the Farmers' Services Centre is the second principal condition. The advice and services of the centre are crucial to achieving the desired agricultural advancement for the emirate. A contract with the Centre for its services for cultivating date palm is another stipulation. Not renting or exploiting the farms for commercial purposes other than farming and breeding livestock is also built into the new system," Al Reyaysa explained. – Gulf News

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