ABU DHABI - The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has approved five investment projects worth AED 524 million to establish fish, vegetable, fruit, cattle and poultry farms on a total land and sea area of approximately four million m2.

The investment opportunities, identified and managed in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), will be developed by private sector companies in the agriculture sector as part of ADAFSA’s efforts to increase farming projects and achieve sustainable agricultural development in Abu Dhabi.

ADAFSA has signed two Musataha contracts with Aqua Fishers Company and Mirak Agricultural Services Company. Aqua Fishers Company will establish a fish farm to produce 5000 tons of seabream, seabass, hamour, red snapper and shrimp at a total cost of AED 110 million. Fishponds will be built at sea on a total area of 251.3 thousand m2, while administrative offices, fish handling and packaging facilities and laboratories will be established on a total land area of 156.9 thousand m2, and located on Delma Island.

The second Musataha agreement signed with Mirak Agricultural Services Company is to establish a farm to produce vegetables and fruit using advanced technology for growing plants in controlled environments, including hydroponics. The project also includes establishing refrigerated warehouses and a laboratory to sanitise and freeze products on an area of 1.28 million m2, at a total cost of AED 140 million.

Another three projects were awarded to Alfafa Company, Al Nahdha Farm and Emirates National Poultry Farms. Alfafa Company will establish a farm to grow plants, including hybrid seeds, using a drip irrigation system and the latest farming techniques. The farm will be located on an area of 481.5 thousand m2, at a total cost of AED 38 million.

Al Nahdha Farm has secured approval for establishing a new farm for breeding calves to market their meat locally. The project will increase the farm’s production of calves from 3,500 to 20,000 heads, raising its production capacity by 470 percent. Barns, administrative buildings, a clinic and worker accommodation will be built as part of the farm, on an area of over 491.4 thousand m2, at a total cost of AED 86 million.

While Emirates National Poultry Farms secured ADAFSA’s approval for establishing a poultry farm and slaughterhouse with a production capacity of 30,000 birds per day in Al Dhafra Region. The poultry farm will be built on a plot of land of 1.45 million m2, while the slaughterhouse will be established on another 90,000 m2 of land, at a total cost of AED 150 million.

Saeed Al Bahri Salem Alameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, expressed his eagerness to boost cooperation with national private sector companies. Alameri indicated that ADAFSA has developed a strategy that aims to create promising investment opportunities in agricultural and food sectors, introduce partners and investors to available investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi, advance local investments, build partnerships with investment funds, investors and the private sector in areas of its activities, and ensure those investments are aligned with government objectives.

"We believe in the need to strengthen partnerships and cooperation with private sector companies, especially those operating in agricultural and food-related activities, to enable them to contribute to the development of the food security system," Alameri said.

"Launching more projects in Abu Dhabi’s agriculture sector creates new investment opportunities, promotes sustainable agricultural development and supports the UAE’s efforts to stimulate investment and diversify income sources," Alameri added.

ADAFSA and ADIO are working together to spur investment across Abu Dhabi’s agriculture ecosystem and expand the supply of sustainable, local produce. As the central hub for investment in Abu Dhabi, ADIO works to connect investors with opportunities in the market and to help ensure their long-term success.

Dr. Tariq bin Hendi, Director-General of ADIO, said, "Abu Dhabi’s agriculture ecosystem is on a strong growth trajectory, as we cooperate with enterprising local companies to establish farms and build out the emirate’s farming capabilities. Significant areas of land and sea are being transformed into high-yielding agriculture zones that are expected to create exceptional value through the development of research, operational and processing facilities. As part of our commitment to spur private sector investment, ADIO is committed to working alongside entities to facilitate commercial success, and through Musataha agreements and other forms of support, we will back the growth of promising projects, innovations and businesses in Abu Dhabi."

In June, ADAFSA and ADIO announced a AED 1 billion pipeline of investment opportunities and awarded five investment projects worth AED 75 million to four major local companies by signing long-term Musataha agreements. The five new awards bring the number of projects launched in cooperation with the private sector to 10, worth AED 599 million. The pipeline is aimed at enhancing food security and the agricultural sustainability system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.