Rashid Obaid, an Emirati farm owner with his cucumbers. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Rashid Obaid, an Emirati farm owner with his cucumbers. Chris Whiteoak / The National

We all benefit from eating locally and supporting farmers



Against all odds, agriculture and the tilling of the arid land have been part of the fabric of the UAE, even before the country was first formed, particularly in Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Al Ain. Those living here had a deep understanding of the earth, its paucity of water and the testing environmental conditions that prevailed. Miraculously, between 1971 and 2011 the number of farms in the UAE rose from 4,000 to 35,704, according to government figures, as generations of Emirati farmers worked methodically in the blistering heat to produce fruit and vegetables. Against that backdrop, the news that many farmers in Fujairah have scaled back production or shut up shop altogether because cultivating produce is increasingly unworkable is particularly tragic. Farmers are reliant on costly desalinated water while cheap imports and mass-produced supermarket produce means they are unable to compete. Today a kilo of cucumbers in Fujairah fetches less than a dirham. In January, frustrated farmers across the UAE said water scarcity had forced them to cut back or close their farms.

Worldwide, the health benefits of eating farm-to-table produce and being able to trace the origins of what you consume have been much-vaunted in recent years. Homegrown fruit and vegetables which have not travelled thousands of miles are tastier, more nutritious and less susceptible to contamination. Buying and eating locally also means that agricultural profits are reinvested in local economies while the environmental benefits of shortening the distance from harvest to table are clear.

Farmers who pioneer organic agriculture deserve credit and encouragement from both customers and the government. We can all do our bit to support them, from buying locally to visiting farms and backing those trying to sustain a living from the land. A government programme last year sought to increase production by subsidising equipment, providing expertise and connecting farms with supermarkets. This year, Abu Dhabi Farmers Service Centre agreed to convert 100 farms for organic agriculture over the next four years. But more must be done to support growers, many of whom are currently choosing between closing their farms and growing only dates. Given the health and environmental benefits of local agriculture, it is in our best interests to help sustain the industry.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Scotland v Ireland:

Scotland (15-1): Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones, Sam Johnson, Sean Maitland; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Josh Strauss, James Ritchie, Ryan Wilson; Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Simon Berghan, Stuart McInally, Allan Dell

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, D'arcy Rae, Ben Toolis, Rob Harley, Ali Price, Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn

Coach: Gregor Townsend (SCO)

Ireland (15-1): Rob Kearney; Keith Earls, Chris Farrell, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack Conan, Sean O'Brien, Peter O'Mahony; James Ryan, Quinn Roux; Tadhg Furlong, Rory Best (capt), Cian Healy

Replacements: Sean Cronin, Dave Kilcoyne, Andrew Porter, Ultan Dillane, Josh van der Flier, John Cooney, Joey Carbery, Jordan Larmour

Coach: Joe Schmidt (NZL)

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

The specs

  Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now

SPECS

Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Rating: 2/5
 
From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Rooney's club record

At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17

At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253

The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV

Power: 360bhp

Torque: 500Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh282,870

On sale: now


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