The administration of Abu Dhabi has launched a strategy to create plant and animal breeds that are more adapted to the natural conditions of the United Arab Emirates.
Scientific research institutions working on the Abu Dhabi Agricultural Genome Programme will develop new breeds and variants.
Additionally, a database of genetic resources and a physical storage facility will be established, following a strategy that has previously frequently led to the establishment of seed banks.
The programme, which is a component of the authority's 2022 to 2025 strategic plan to improve food security, has been launched by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Agriculture and Food Safety (ADAFSA).
Officials also want agriculture to contribute more to Abu Dhabi emirate's GDP in addition to improving food security, which is important in a nation that is a net importer of food.
The programme will increase agricultural output and address "the constraints of the emirate's climatic and environmental conditions," according to a statement from the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office.
The program's produced plant types, fish, and animal breeds will be especially well suited to the UAE's climate, which is characterised by high temperatures, little rainfall and in certain circumstances, high soil salinity levels.
Accordingly, ADAFSA stated in the statement that breeding programmes would focus on developing animals with a high tolerance for salinity and drought.
The development of disease-resistant plants, fish, and agricultural animals is another goal. Better disease resistance, which has been prioritised by plant breeding programmes worldwide for many years, can increase yields and lower production costs.
The programme, according to Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs, and CEO of ADAFSA, will aid in educating Emiratis in agricultural genetic research. The programme, according to Sheikh Mansour, is a step in the UAE's direction of "global leadership in food security."
ADAFSA was given two contracts totaling Dh310 million for the construction of a hydroponic farm in the Abu Dhabi region and a conventional farm in Al Ain as part of its efforts to increase the supply of locally farmed food.
Crops are grown in nutrient solutions rather than soil in hydroponic farms, which have already been established in the UAE and nearby nations like Saudi Arabia. The method decreases water consumption even if it is frequently energy-intensive.