ABU DHABI, 8th October, 2026 (WAM) -- The Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has launched an integrated framework to empower winners under the “Post-Winning Programme”, in a step aimed at enhancing the sustainability of the Award’s impact and transforming winning from a point of recognition into a continuous journey of development, empowerment and leadership. The programme seeks to maximise the role of winners in supporting food security and the sustainability of the agricultural sector in the UAE.
The launch of the programme coincides with Global Food Week, reflecting the Award’s vision that recognising outstanding farmers and livestock breeders does not mark the end of the excellence journey, but rather the beginning of a new phase of development and investment in their achievements. This ensures that successful experiences and practices are transformed into impactful development models and sustainable practices that benefit the agricultural sector and the wider community.
Dr Tareq Ahmed Al Ameri, Acting Director General of the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), affirmed that the “Post-Winning Programme” translates the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Presidential Court and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ADAFSA, aimed at empowering farmers and livestock breeders as key partners in achieving sustainable agricultural development and strengthening food security.
He said: “The programme is driven by an ambitious vision to build an ‘innovative farmer and livestock breeder with a sustainable vision’ through an integrated framework that goes beyond recognition to provide continued support, protect innovations, and create broader opportunities for learning, growth and field expansion, reinforcing the Award’s position as a national platform that promotes agricultural excellence and innovation.”
Al Ameri added in remarks delivered during the launch of the programme: “The framework is designed to transform individual achievements into sustainable impact across the sector as a whole. Through this programme, we seek to build a community of agricultural pioneers capable of inspiring others, contributing to enhancing the sector’s competitiveness and increasing its productivity. This represents a natural extension of the Award’s journey and its development mission of embedding a culture of sustainability.”
Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Chairwoman of the Award’s Higher Committee, explained that the Post-Winning framework comprises five specialised programmes designed to address the diverse needs of farmers and pioneers in the field. The first programme, the “Professional Farmer Programme”, focuses on knowledge and direct training by providing comprehensive courses to enhance the technical and administrative capabilities of farmers and livestock breeders and equip them with the latest knowledge and practical applications for managing agricultural projects efficiently. The second programme, the “Innovation and Intellectual Property”, focuses on protecting agricultural innovations and providing a suitable environment for transforming ideas into practical, value-added applications, while also providing the necessary support for patent registration and safeguarding innovators’ rights.
The third programme, the “Market Access”, aims to connect producers and innovators with local markets and facilitate the showcasing of their products through multiple sales channels that enable products to reach consumers. The fourth programme, the “Partner Engagement”, works to strengthen partnerships and institutional integration by referring outstanding farmers’ projects to existing programmes and initiatives offered by strategic partners in the government and private sectors, thereby accelerating business growth and maximising benefits.
Finally, the fifth programme, the “Agricultural Pioneers and Knowledge Transfer”, focuses on media, extension services and the dissemination of success stories. Winners will contribute to creating impact by providing field-based extension services and documenting their inspiring experiences through media channels, helping to build a national knowledge archive that enriches the agricultural community.
For his part, Mubarak Ali Al Mansouri , Head of the Award's Festivals and Associated Competitions Team, emphasised that the "Post-Win Programme" represents a structural shift in the role of the Award, as it moves from a role of recognition to building a nurturing and sustainable environment that monitors the growth of the winners, ensures the sustainability of their achievements and transforms them into tangible outcomes that benefit the national economy and food security. He explained that this approach reinforces the Award’s commitment to investing in human capital, empowering farmers and livestock breeders to continue innovating, and transforming their success stories into inspiring national models that contribute to shaping the future of sustainable agriculture in the UAE.