Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has launched the fourth edition of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award.
The 2025 edition continues to highlight the UAE’s commitment to advancing both plant and animal agriculture, honouring distinguished farmers and livestock breeders for their role in supporting agricultural sustainability, food security, and improving the quality of local production.
With a total prize pool of AED10 million, the award encompasses 4 main categories and 13 subcategories. The Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba will also host 77 competitions and 5 dedicated festivals organised under the award’s umbrella.
The committee unveiled updates to the award’s structure, including revised categories, enhanced technical criteria, and transparent evaluation mechanisms. These updates aim to foster innovation, sustainability, and efficiency across the agricultural sector.
Her Excellency Mouza Suhail Al Muhairi, Deputy Director-General for Regulatory and Administrative Affairs at ADAFSA and Head of the Higher Organising Committee, said: “We are delighted to launch the fourth edition of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, which underscores agriculture as a cornerstone of our nation’s food and economic security. This award has become a national platform to honour innovation and excellence in agriculture, celebrating the vital role of farmers, breeders, and agri-entrepreneurs in driving progress.”
Her Excellency emphasised that this this year’s edition coincides with the UAE’s Year of Community 2025, expanding its scope to include new participant segments, with a particular focus on youth and women in agriculture. The updated evaluation framework also introduces precise performance indicators such as resource efficiency, water footprint, and economic return, aligning with international standards for smart and sustainable agriculture.
His Excellency Ahmed Khalid Othman, Deputy Director-General for Operations at ADAFSA and Deputy Head of the Committee, stated the four main categories of the award are: Outstanding Farm and Livestock Holding – including three subcategories for Best Farm, Best Livestock Holding, and Youth Projects, Agricultural Technologies – highlighting smart solutions and innovations that enhance productivity and sustainability, Commercial Farms – recognising excellence in both plant and animal production and Outstanding Female Farmer/Breeder – emphasising women’s contribution to food security and sustainable farming.
His Excellency Othman said: “These categories reflect the breadth of our agricultural ecosystem while ensuring fairness and transparency in evaluation.”
His Excellency Mubarak Al Qusaili Al Mansoori, Head of Associated Competitions and Festivals, announced that the 2025 programme will be integrated with the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, a major cultural event that attracts thousands of visitors annually. The award will feature five flagship festivals; Al Wathba Agricultural Festival, Al Wathba Livestock Festival, Al Wathba Food Festival, Flower Festival and the Honey Festival.
In addition, 77 specialised competitions will be held, covering agricultural and food products, packaging, direct cooking contests, processed goods, and food innovation. These activities aim to engage the community, promote national products, and celebrate best practices in sustainable farming.
Following registration, competitions and festivals will be held throughout the Sheikh Zayed Festival season, followed by desk and field evaluations conducted by expert panels. Winners will be announced and honoured at a formal awards ceremony in March 2026.
Since its inception, the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award has attracted more than 1,127 participants and recognised 162 winners, with prize funds exceeding AED26.7 million. The award has established itself as one of the UAE’s most prominent initiatives advancing agricultural innovation, excellence, and food security.
The Higher Organising Committee invites farmers, livestock breeders, and commercial farms across the UAE to register by 15 December 2025 via: www.smaea.ae.
