Federal National Council member Saeed Rashid Al-Abedy warned against the growing phenomenon of “citizen farmers leaving their farms, or converting them to secondary crops or home gardens, as a result of the decline in agricultural support and the role played by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment,” stressing that “A large number of farm owners have decided to abandon the production of seasonal crops associated with food crops that are directly related to food security, and to move to secondary perennial agriculture (such as palm and date production), as it is less expensive and more marketable than other products.”
Al-Abedy told «Emirates Today» that he will call, through a parliamentary question, for the development of an integrated plan, aimed at expanding the marketing of the products of national farms, and will present several proposals, the most important of which is providing monthly financial support to farm owners.
The Council will meet tomorrow at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, headed by Saqr Ghobash, to discuss the topic of “The Role of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology in developing the national industry.”
During the session, Al-Abedy addresses a parliamentary question to the Minister of Climate Change and Environment Maryam bint Muhammad Saeed Al Muhairi, on the reasons for the growing phenomenon of “leaving farmers” Citizens own their farms, or transform them into secondary crops or home gardens.”
According to the text of Al-Abedy’s question: “Local agricultural production is one of the most important pillars of food security in the country, and a main source of income for many farmers. But farmers are starting to face a challenge, represented in the decline in agricultural subsidies, and the role played by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. And they are talking about having to leave their farms or rent them for cheap amounts, for some nationalities to exploit them, by working on intensive production without taking into account health and environmental conditions, which aim to preserve the sustainability of agricultural resources. for others? And what is the ministry’s means to address these causes?” On the production of seasonal crops related to food crops that are directly related to food security, and the tendency to secondary perennial agriculture, such as palms and date production, as it is less expensive and more marketable than other products.
Al-Abedy said: “Agriculture is one of the most important Elements and components of the national food basket, and the leadership has realized, since the era of the founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, until this day, the importance of supporting citizen farmers, especially those who depend on agriculture as a main source of livelihood and livelihood. But recently, these farmers have been facing great challenges, which they cannot face without real government support, which pushes them to work more and contribute to increasing the strategic food stock and expanding the food basket, depending on local products. Instead of this support, the farmers were surprised by the increase in electricity and water prices on their farms, which was the last nail in the coffin of local agriculture.”
He added: “I communicate with many citizens who own farms in a number of Emirates.” And all of them were greatly disturbed by the damage inflicted on them, as a result of the sudden and unjustified rise in electricity prices, which the Federal Electricity and Water Authority began to apply to them as of this month, to the extent that some of them asked me to suggest postponing the payment at the new prices until the end of the winter planting season, After that, they will stop seasonal farming, and some of them will convert their farms to secondary crops that will not contribute to bridging the food gap, and some will only convert their farms into a private garden for their homes.”
He continued: “Citizen farmers face a number of challenges. The challenges, other than the difficulty of paying the cost of electricity consumption at the new prices, the most important of which is the inability of their products to compete with food products and crops that come from abroad at lower prices and quality, due to their lack of what can be called full support for citizen farms, especially since government support should not It is limited to the value and prices of electricity and water, because agriculture needs land, water, equipment, seeds and fertilizers, which are largely provided and supported by the state, but there is also marketing and protection against import and dumping of agricultural products of lower quality than the local product, which is something that should be among the priorities of support The government is for citizen farmers, especially since the competitor uses types of pesticides that are lower in cost, quality, and number of times of use, while the local product is linked to high-cost requirements and specifications, which prevent it from being compared in price to some imported products.”
7 Parliamentary Proposals
The Federal National Council member, Saeed Rashid Al-Abedy, stated that he will present to the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Maryam bint Mohammed Saeed Al-Muhairi, seven proposals to deal with challenges faced by the citizen farmer.
He said: “If we are targeting agricultural production that helps bridge the food gap during crises, and approach self-sufficiency in some crops and products, the traditional citizen farmers, who constitute agriculture, must be preserved.” Farms are the backbone of their lives. The import process of agricultural products must also be protected, legalized, and organized at the time of local agricultural seasons, to protect the national product and citizen farms from unequal competition, in addition to working to expand the scope of local agricultural products marketing outlets at the state level, to protect them from dumping the imported product.
He explained that the list of proposals also includes integrated and continuous coordination between ministries and federal agencies in decisions that affect support for citizen farms, in addition to providing annual material support to citizen farmers who abide by conditions and controls, which is disbursed in the form of equal monthly payments. Assigning certain entities to serve farmers in the state, such as farmers’ associations, to develop plans and programs for marketing local agricultural products. Finally, assigning farmers to produce specific crops and crops that the state needs at certain times, to facilitate their marketing locally.
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