Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award Honors 3rd Edition Winners

Photo: Abu Dhabi Media Office

The Supreme Organising Committee of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award will hold a ceremony to honor the winners of its third edition on 25th February 2025. This event will take place at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi. It will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is the Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA). The ceremony will also be attended by senior officials and key partners who have supported the award.

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The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of farmers, livestock breeders, and commercial farms across a variety of categories. It will also acknowledge the contributions of supporting partners. This recognition highlights the importance of teamwork in strengthening and developing the UAE’s agricultural sector. The goal is to ensure its sustainability for future generations.

The organizing committee shared that this year’s edition of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, which focuses on "An Innovative Farmer and Breeder with a Sustainable Vision," has received strong participation. Since the registration opened on 11th September 2024, a total of 451 entries were received. These entries covered four main categories and 13 sub-categories.

The judging, evaluation, and field visits have been completed by the specialized panels who selected the finalists based on the award’s criteria. The total prize pool for the winners is AED 10 million, distributed across the main and sub-categories, as well as the accompanying competitions. AED 5.3 million will be awarded to the winners in the main categories, which include:

• Best Plant Farm
• Best Animal Farm
• Best Open Farm
• Best Greenhouse Farm
• Best Fruit Production Farm
• Best Organic Farm
• Productive Livestock Farms
• Small Producers
• Beekeepers
• Aquaculture Breeders

There are also prizes for the Commercial Farm Award, which recognizes Commercial Plant Farms and Commercial Animal Production Farms. The Agricultural Innovation Award will honor innovations in the plant and animal sectors. In addition, the Outstanding Female Farmer and Breeder Award will recognize two sub-categories: Best Outstanding Female Farmer and Best Outstanding Female Livestock Breeder. These categories are designed to empower women in the agricultural field.

In addition to the main awards, prizes worth AED 4.4 million will be given to over 400 winners in the accompanying competitions at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba. These competitions include five specialized festivals: the Al Wathba Agricultural Festival, Al Wathba Food Festival, Al Wathba Livestock Festival, Al Wathba Honey Festival, and Al Wathba Flower Festival. A total of 87 competitions and seven livestock auctions will be part of the event.

The organizing committee emphasized that the high level of participation in the third edition shows how much the award is valued in supporting the agricultural sector across the country. It also highlights the UAE leadership’s commitment to honoring farmers and breeders, encouraging innovation, and supporting sustainable development. These efforts are in line with the country's agricultural and environmental sustainability goals and contribute to the UAE’s economic growth.

The first and second editions of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award attracted 676 participants from all over the UAE. In those editions, 107 farmers and livestock breeders were awarded prizes, and a total of AED 16.7 million in prizes was distributed. This demonstrates the growing popularity of the award and its key role in promoting agricultural excellence in the UAE.

The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award is one of the first initiatives aimed at encouraging farmers and livestock breeders to use modern technologies and sustainable practices. Doing so helps develop the local agricultural sector and supports the goals of the National Food Security Strategy 2051. The award also promotes innovation, improves the quality of agricultural products, increases competitiveness, and encourages younger generations to join the agricultural sector.