Farmers' Service Centre set up in Al Gharbia


10 April 2010
LIWA -- The Farmers' Service Centre was inaugurated on Thursday alongside the Liwa Agricultural Exhibition by Shaikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the
Western Region.

The centre has been set up with the aim of attaining better food security and self-reliance through increasing the market share of UAE-grown food to 25 per cent, said Rashed Al Shariqi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority. Although the Service Centre is presently operational only in the Western region, it will eventually cover all areas of the emirate over a period of five years. Apart from providing pre- and post-production services in terms of financial assistance, technology, methodology and professional advice, the centre will also firm up a proper system for the marketing of local agricultural produce, said Al Shariqi.

The primary objective behind the centre is to bring more efficient and productive agricultural output to the 7,500 farms in the Western Region. "We are not approaching the agricultural sector from a mere social and community perspective. The idea is to view this dynamic sector of the emirate's social and economic life as a part and parcel of the overall development process. The economic potential of the sector coupled with the environmental and social dimensions should be linked to the future goals of complete food security and self-reliance," he added.

With the inauguration of the Farmers' Service Centre in Al Gharbia (western region), the farmers in the region have a single-point support centre for all their dealings with the government of Abu Dhabi. The centre is targeting to improve the availability and quality of UAE-grown food from the current 12.5 per cent share of the market up to 25 per cent, while improving water
use efficiency.

About 80 per cent of the high-quality production from Al Gharbia will be marketed through a chain managed as per international standards.

By Staff Reporter

© Khaleej Times 2010

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