At the recent AGRA Middle Esat Awards in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre (ADFSC) walked away with the Farm Innovation in Agriculture Award.
The prize was for the ADFSC's “Growing for Market” initiative, whose aim is to promote an understanding of horticultural production systems, assisting farmers in improving the production of horticultural products for the UAE market, while achieving sustainable returns.
The initiative is also a way for the ADFSC's field crops unit to effect change on the many small family farms throughout Abu Dhabi.
“This initiative has been a very hands-on approach,” said Chris Hirst, CEO of ADFSC. “The ADFSC field crops unit has been working closely with extension engineers to develop on-farm demonstration sites that very clearly highlight technological methods that are proven to work and that should lead to more reliable production and, as a result, more income for farmers.”
Hirst said that farmers needed to diversify their production, while extending the UAE's short season as much as possible.
“Diversifying what is grown is important because local consumers are used to a wide range of produce,” he said. “If farmers are only growing tomatoes and cucumbers they’re not taking advantage of the demand for higher-priced vegetables.
“Those farmers that are able to draw this short growing period out will make much more money than those who might rely on more traditional planting and harvesting methods.”
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