DUBAI, 24th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Sultan Salem Al Shamsi, Director-General of the National Agriculture Centre (NAC), said the Sustainable Impact Challenge Agricultural Category aims to empower farmers, strengthen community impact and highlight initiatives and projects that offer practical, sustainable and scalable models supporting sustainable development.
He said the initiative provides an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation between government entities and the private sector, share best practices and success stories, and foster a culture of innovation and sustainable community impact across national agricultural projects.
The challenge is organised by NAC in collaboration with Majra – National CSR Fund as part of a national initiative recognising Emirati farmers and farm owners whose projects deliver sustainable community impact and contribute to the UAE's economic and social development.
Al Shamsi said, "Our collaboration with Majra – National CSR Fund on this community initiative supports agricultural projects that deliver tangible impact and encourages the wider adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies and practices."
Sarah Shaw, CEO of Majra – National CSR Fund, said, "The Sustainable Impact Challenge provides a national platform for transforming promising ideas and initiatives into projects that deliver credible, measurable and scalable impact, helping direct efforts and resources towards national priorities and achieve sustainable results on the ground."
She added, "Through the agricultural category, we focus on empowering projects that offer practical and innovative solutions to improve production efficiency, optimise resource use and expand market access for local produce, thereby strengthening food security and the sustainability of the UAE's agricultural sector.
"In collaboration with the National Agriculture Centre, we are also connecting these projects with a broader network of cross-sector partnerships to accelerate their growth, expand their impact and transform successful models into scalable solutions that create sustainable economic, social and environmental value while supporting the UAE's national priorities."
The inaugural edition will highlight community-driven agricultural initiatives led by Emirati farm owners and agricultural entrepreneurs across the UAE, showcasing projects that benefit society, encourage innovation and provide inspiring national models supporting the local agricultural sector.
The Sustainable Impact Challenge is a national initiative launched by Majra – National CSR Fund to showcase projects and initiatives implemented across the UAE that offer innovative solutions to social and environmental challenges and deliver tangible, measurable and sustainable impact.
Participants will have the opportunity to present their projects for public voting, with qualifying projects advancing to specialised assessment and review by experts before outstanding projects are recognised.
Areas of community impact include creating opportunities for the community, supporting productive families, training and awareness, supporting People of Determination, community initiatives, supporting schools and educational institutions, community-driven agricultural innovation, and promoting agricultural culture and sustainability.
NAC, in collaboration with Majra, is providing a dedicated platform to showcase agricultural solutions and programmes that create community opportunities, offer advisory sessions and educational workshops focused on agriculture and sustainability, support People of Determination and promote agricultural culture, community innovation and engagement.
NAC invited farmers, agricultural initiative leaders and relevant stakeholders to participate in the agricultural category and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Sustainable Impact Challenge to showcase their achievements and sustainable projects, supporting agricultural development and reinforcing the sector's role as a key pillar of community development in the UAE.
Registration for the 2026 Sustainable Impact Challenge Agricultural Category will be open from 26th August to 26th September, with the winners to be announced at an official ceremony on 26th November.