Abu Dhabi — The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority has officially launched the fourth edition of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award (2025-2026) during a press conference held yesterday in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by Moza Suhail Almehairi, Deputy Director-General for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs at the Authority and Chair of the High Organizing Committee for the award, as well as Ahmad Khaled Othman, Deputy Director-General for Operational Affairs, and Mubarak Al Qasili Al Mansoori, Head of the Festival and Competitions Committee, along with other representatives from supporting entities and members of the media.
The new cycle is part of ongoing efforts to motivate both the plant and animal agriculture sectors, aiming to honor outstanding farmers and livestock breeders across the country. This initiative recognizes their crucial role in achieving agricultural sustainability and food security while enhancing the quality of local production. During the conference, the high committee unveiled details about the new cycle, revealing that the total value of the awards amounts to around 10 million dirhams, distributed across four main categories and 13 subcategories. Additionally, the accompanying competitions held alongside the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba feature over 77 contests and five diverse festivals this year.
The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the key updates for this edition of the award, including an updated structure for categories, technical standards, and adopted evaluation mechanisms. It also highlighted the increasing role of the award in supporting sustainability and innovation within the agricultural sector, thereby enhancing its positive impact on agriculture in the United Arab Emirates.
Moza Suhail Almehairi expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “We are pleased to announce the launch of the fourth edition of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, which emphasizes the sector’s position as a fundamental pillar for food and economic security in our country.” She added, “I extend my sincerest gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Presidential Court, for his generous patronage and continued support for this award. It has become a leading platform to honor agricultural pioneers and innovators in this vital field across the nation.”
Almehairi noted that the launch of the fourth edition “is a culmination of the successes of previous editions, reinforcing the award’s status as a national driver to enhance the quality of agricultural practices, boost the competitiveness of local production, and support agricultural sustainability and food security in line with the leadership’s vision and Abu Dhabi’s strategy.” She indicated that this current edition sees a significant expansion in its scope and targeted categories, with a total prize value of 10 million dirhams allocated across four main categories, 13 subcategories, and involving 77 competitions and five diverse festivals.
She emphasized that the criteria and participation mechanisms have been refined “to meet the aspirations of all categories, including farmers, breeders, and youth projects, along with an emphasis on women in agriculture.” The current edition focuses on “promoting innovation in farming and livestock production methods, measuring efficiency through precise indicators like resource utilization, water footprint, and economic return, in line with global smart and sustainable agriculture requirements.” Furthermore, she expressed that this award, coinciding with the Year of Community 2025, represents an extension of this national direction, focusing on people and communities by involving new categories and encouraging farmers to contribute to enhancing food security. “We view this award as a national responsibility and part of our commitment to support the country’s efforts for self-sufficiency and the development of the agricultural economy,” she stated. Almehairi also thanked the organizing committee of the Sheikh Zayed Festival for hosting the accompanying events and for adding significant momentum to the festivals and competitions throughout the festival period.
In a related note, Ahmad Khaled Othman confirmed that the award’s standards and mechanisms have been developed to ensure transparency and fairness, broadening participation while adopting precise standards focusing on innovation, sustainability, and production efficiency. This aims to build a national system of agricultural excellence that fosters positive competition and enhances the value of local products.
Othman explained that the award categories in its fourth edition are divided into four main categories encompassing various components of the vital agricultural sector in the UAE. This includes the “Best Farm and Distinctive Ranch Award,” which features three subcategories: the Outstanding Farm, the Outstanding Ranch, and Youth Projects. This is intended to support local production and encourage young entrepreneurs to invest in this pivotal sector.
The “Agricultural Technologies Award,” meanwhile, aims to showcase technological innovations and smart solutions that enhance production efficiency and sustainability. The Commercial Farmer award includes categories for both plant and animal production, while the Distinguished Female Farmer and Breeder award emphasizes the significance of empowering women in agriculture and highlights their role in strengthening the food security ecosystem.
Mubarak Al Qasili Al Mansoori pointed out that all accompanying competitions and festivals will take place at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, which is an annual platform celebrating cultural and heritage identity. This event also represents an ideal opportunity to engage with community members and raise awareness about the agricultural sector’s role in supporting food security and sustainability. The award will be organized within its pavilion at the festival, featuring five main festivals: the Al Wathba Agricultural Festival, the Al Wathba Livestock Festival, the Al Wathba Food Festival, the Flower Festival, and the Honey Festival, all aimed at enhancing community interaction with agricultural and food activities and showcasing the quality and diversity of local production while encouraging consumers to support national products.
The high organizing committee invites all farmers, livestock breeders, and commercial farms from across the country to participate in the award and register before December 15, 2025, via the official website: www.smaea.ae. Interested individuals can also reach out for registration or inquiries via phone or WhatsApp at +971542893389.
The award undergoes several integrated phases beginning after the registration deadline. Following that, the accompanying festivals and competitions will commence during the Sheikh Zayed Festival. Subsequently, a desktop evaluation of the participation documents and field assessments for the qualified entrants will take place, carried out by specialized committees visiting the eligible farms and ranches to evaluate them based on accurate criteria and specific conditions set by a technical committee comprising a select group of experts in plant and animal agriculture, as well as agricultural innovation fields.
Upon completion of the field evaluation process, the results will be submitted to the qualified participants, leading to the final results being approved, and the winners will be honored during an official closing ceremony scheduled for March 2026, in the presence of all participants in the award and several stakeholders in the agricultural and food security sectors of the nation. It’s worth mentioning that over its three previous editions, the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has witnessed extensive participation, with a total of 1,127 participants in the award’s main categories from various Emirates, while 162 individuals have won who met the excellence criteria in the fields of agriculture and livestock production. The total value of the financial awards presented in those editions has surpassed 26.7 million dirhams, reflecting the award’s status as one of the key motivators for development and innovation in the agricultural sector across the nation.