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The UAE has approved 71 economic activities that can be carried out on agricultural lands and will promote sustainable farming development and diversify the sources of income of farm owners.
The activities were approved by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE. It also includes recreational and tourism ventures, such as holiday homes to support the tourism sector and promote the UAE's ancient heritage.
Sheikh Mansour is also the Minister of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA).
The list of economic activities that can be carried out on farms are listed under four categories, with 21 economic activities that support the plant sector, 24 activities related to the animal sector, 18 activities related to the food sector, and eight recreational activities, in particular holiday homes, all of which aim to support the tourism sector and promote the cultural development of the agricultural sector in Abu Dhabi.
"ADAFSA is working to diversify the economic activities that can be carried out on farms to consolidate the food security system and increase local plant and animal production, in addition to promoting agri-tourism to benefit from the recreational activities available at many of the crop and livestock farms in the emirate of Abu Dhabi," Saeed Al Bahri Al Ameri, Director-General of ADAFSA, said.
ADAFSA has set the requirements and construction limit permissible for economic activities on agricultural lands to not exceed 30% of the total farm area, if there is a main licensed plant or animal activity on the farm.
The economic activities practiced are limited only to the farm owner, and that the trade licence must be issued in the name of the farm owner.
(Reporting by Seban Scaria; editing by Daniel Luiz)
