The initiative features 97 competitions and 40 exhibition stalls at Sheikh Zayed Festival to bolster UAE food security and local output.
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — The fifth edition (2026–2027) of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has officially commenced its accompanying activities and competitions at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba. Organised by the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), the programme is designed to stimulate agricultural innovation, champion domestic growers, and advance the nation’s food security.
The edition introduces five specialised community festivals: the Food Festival, Livestock Festival, Flower Festival, Honey Festival, and Plant Festival. Alongside these events, ADAFSA has scheduled 97 specialised competitions spanning agricultural, livestock, and food production sectors to encourage knowledge exchange and enhance the market presence of Emirati goods.
Opening the Award’s dedicated pavilion, Moza Suhail Al Muhairi, Chair of the Higher Committee of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, emphasized the platform’s expanding community footprint.
“We extend our thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, Patron of the Award, for his vision and continued support, and for his directives to expand its societal impact,” Al Muhairi said.
Al Muhairi noted that the festivals and competitions create direct engagement between producers and consumers, opening avenues for productive families, commercial farmers, livestock breeders, and beekeepers to develop sustainable business models.
Mubarak Al Qusaili Al Mansoori, Chairman of the Committee for the Accompanying Festivals and Competitions, stated that the broad structure supports the diversity of national production.
“Hosting these activities within Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba enables the Award to reach diverse segments of society and enhances awareness of the importance of agriculture and local production and their role in supporting food security,” Al Mansoori said.
The Award’s pavilion houses 40 dedicated commercial stalls. Ten of these are reserved for first-place winners from the fourth edition to highlight proven achievements, while the remaining 30 feature an array of regional goods from emerging agricultural enterprises and productive families.
Visitors can explore a curated heritage-to-modernity agricultural exhibition detailing the evolution of Emirati farming techniques, contrasting historical equipment with contemporary automated systems. The pavilion also features an interactive live cooking arena demonstrating culinary applications for indigenous ingredients.
Each of the five festivals addresses a critical pillar of domestic production. The Food Festival targets small and medium manufacturing enterprises and consumer awareness; the Livestock Festival spotlights herd genetics, sustainable breeding, and resource preservation; the Flower Festival covers ornamental horticulture; the Honey Festival promotes apiculture standards; and the Plant Festival focuses on crop yield optimisation and natural resource conservation.
Registrations across all Award categories remain open to regional growers, breeders, and producers until 15 December 2026.
