Dubai: The UAE on Sunday launched a new programme to stimulate the country’s agricultural sector and promote sustainable practices nationwide.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the launch of ‘Plant the Emirates’ initiative following an extraordinary Cabinet meeting held at Al Marmoom in Dubai.
On his official X account, Sheikh Mohammed emphasised that the national programme seeks to continue the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, by promoting afforestation and greening the land of the country through agriculture.
The programme aims to instil the culture of agriculture in every school and home, nurturing the values of sustainability in future generations.
Plant the Emirates also focuses on enhancing food security, advancing agricultural technologies, building new partnerships with the private sector, and expanding green spaces across the country to ensure long-term sustainability.
The programme also coincides with the UAE’s ‘Year of Sustainability 2024’ and supports enhancing the environment sustainability ecosystem through enhancing local products effective contribution to reducing the carbon footprint, through the promotion of fresh, locally produced agricultural products.
The programme partners with all federal and local government entities, municipalities’ teams, private sector organisations, and community members. It is launching national campaigns, events, exhibitions and seasonal markets to display and market crops and agricultural products under a unified identity.
The initiative will also organise volunteer programmes and competitions for students and the public, launch the ‘World’s Coolest Winter’ campaign under the slogan of ‘Green Tourism’, and offer advisory and specialised programmes and services for farmers and the private sector. The programme will hold events that encourage smart agricultural practices and the use of groundbreaking agriculture technologies and trends.
National Agricultural Centre
As part of this initiative, the Cabinet has approved the establishment of the National Agricultural Centre, which will serve as a key driver for the sector in the coming years.
The Centre will provide technical support, foster partnerships, and launch initiatives to support agricultural development and product innovation.
Sheikh Mohammed called on everyone to contribute to this national project through ideas, projects, and initiatives, helping spread the culture of agriculture and plant seeds for future generations to benefit from.
The National Agriculture Centre, which is part of Plant the Emirates, is responsible, according to its establishing resolution, for developing and implementing strategic initiatives and programmes aimed at increasing productivity, improving supply chains, and reducing agricultural production costs.
It will also seek to minimise agricultural waste and support the marketing of local agricultural products. By providing technical support for innovative projects, the Centre will ensure that the agricultural sector continues to evolve, adopting modern practices and technology-driven solutions.
Five-year targets
Over the next five years (2025- 2030), the Centre will focus on raising the number of productive farms in the country by 20 per cent, increasing the number of organic farms by 25 per cent. Furthermore, the Centre seeks to foster the adoption of climate-smart solutions across 30 per cent of farms, reduce agricultural waste by 50 per cent, increase the use of local agricultural products in restaurants and hotels throughout the UAE by 25 per cent, and increase the number of workers in the sector by 15 per cent.
Biodiversity Sites Project
During the meeting, the Cabinet was briefed on the progress of the Biodiversity Sites Project, which is being led by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and various government and academic institutions. The project aims to identify key biodiversity sites in the UAE based on international standards and develop geographic maps outlining the boundaries of these critical areas.
Nine key biodiversity sites have been identified based on international criteria and added to the global biodiversity sites database. These sites include the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Umm Al Zamul (Abu Dhabi), Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve (Abu Dhabi), Yasat Marine Protected Area (Abu Dhabi), Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve (Dubai), the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (Dubai), Wadi Al Helo (Sharjah), Khorfakkan and Shark Island (Sharjah), Wadi Bih (Ras Al Khaimah), and Siniyah Island and Khor Al Beidah (Umm Al Qaiwain).
Additionally, two global biodiversity sites have been identified for the Arabian gazelles, including the Arabian Sand Gazelle, and the Arabian Oryx, marking them as the first key sites recognised for the biodiversity of these mammals in the world.
Also, two sites of global importance for biodiversity for dugongs (Sea cows) were identified in the UAE, which are the first sites of their kind in the Middle East. Other three sites of global importance for biodiversity for three endemic species of gecko were identified as well.
This biodiversity project is set to enhance the UAE’s environmental competitiveness globally by increasing the percentage of the protected area among the key biodiversity sites from 37.59 per cent to 98.13 per cent, as well as increasing the index of marine protected areas among key biodiversity sites from 48.61 per cent to 98.17 per cent, and the index of the terrestrial protected areas from 51.55 per cent to 98.08 per cent.
UAE Circular Economy Agenda 2031
The Cabinet meeting also featured the latest developments in implementing the UAE Circular Economy Agenda 2031. Achievements of the Agenda include regulating the transfer of waste between the emirates to provide a better environment for investments in infrastructure, supporting local investments in infrastructure through trade monitoring measures, applying legislation on the trade of plastic scrap and raw materials, using recycled materials in the consumer goods sector, and developing technical regulation that regulates the use of food waste (oils) as fuel for vehicles in relation with regulating the use of biofuels in the UAE.
Other projects
In addition, the Cabinet has endorsed the restructuring of the National Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organizations Committee now chaired by the Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE.
The committee will work to develop strategies to combat financial crime, assess the national risks of financial crimes, facilitate information exchange, and represent the UAE in international forums.
Consumer protection
The Cabinet also approved the restructuring of the Higher Committee for Consumer Protection, chaired by the Minister of Economy. The Committee will be responsible for developing general consumer protection policies, reviewing reports received from the Ministry of Economy or the relevant authorities, and implementing programmes to raise consumer awareness of rights and obligations.
The UAE Cabinet approved the country’s accession to the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which ensures that Antarctica land is used for peaceful purposes only, and promotes international scientific cooperation. The Cabinet also approved the UAE joining the Arctic Council as an observer, enhancing cooperation with Arctic nations.
In the same meeting, the Cabinet ratified the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the Republic of Mauritius to boost long-term economic cooperation, increase trade flows, and reduce or wave tariffs on 97 per cent of goods and products. The agreement aims to stimulate strategic investments, encourage private sector participation, and ensure transparency and fair trade practices.
In the same occasion, several international agreements were approved, including an extradition treaty with Sweden and a WHO agreement to establish a Global Health Emergency Logistics Hub in the UAE.
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were also signed with countries such as North Macedonia, Russia, the United States, and Saudi Arabia, covering areas like civil defence, financial cooperation, and renewable energy.
The National Award for Culture and Creativity has been elevated to the Emirates Medal for Culture and Creativity. This aims to recognise and support cultural and creative efforts, enhance the global standing of contributors, and encourage younger generations to engage in the cultural sector.
The Cabinet approved the UAE’s hosting of five major international events, including the WeProtect Global Alliance Summit focused on protecting children from online abuse, and the 28th Universal Postal Union Congress in 2025, alongside other key forums related to climate change and medical education.
In legislative affairs, the Cabinet approved new resolutions on amendments to the Federal Law Concerning Medically Assisted Reproduction and the Common Customs Law of the GCC States. Additionally, a grace period was granted for registered beneficiaries to update their tax records without incurring administrative fines.
