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UAE launches hands-on training for women farmers in sustainable agriculture, beekeeping
The launch of the programme coincides with Emirati Women’s Day and focuses on strengthening women’s role in sustainable agriculture, food security and economic opportunities
- PUBLISHED: Sun 23 Aug 2026, 5:21 PM
- By:
- WAM
The UAE has launched the first phase of a new programme aimed at giving women farmers practical skills in sustainable farming, beekeeping and agricultural business.
The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) launched the Women Farmer Field Schools programme under its “Empowering Women Farmers” initiative, with field-based training set to begin across farms and agricultural sites in several emirates in September.
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The programme was announced under the patronage of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak during the First Emirati Women Farmers Forum, held alongside the second Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition in Al Ain in April.
The launch coincides with Emirati Women’s Day and focuses on strengthening women’s role in sustainable agriculture, food security and economic opportunities.
What will women farmers learn?
The training will focus on practical, hands-on skills that farmers can apply directly to their farms.
Topics will include sustainable palm tree management, controlling red palm weevil and other pests, irrigation and fertilisation, and growing fruit and vegetables in greenhouses and open fields.
Women beekeepers will also receive training in apiary management, honey production and developing value-added products.
The programme will also cover agricultural record-keeping and economic evaluation, helping participants improve the efficiency, profitability and long-term sustainability of their farming projects.
Training starts in September
Before the field sessions begin, MOCCAE will hold a virtual introductory session on August 27, giving Emirati women farmers and beekeepers an overview of the programme and how to participate.
The field-based training will then begin in September at farms and agricultural sites across the UAE.
The programme is being implemented by MOCCAE in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), drawing on international Farmer Field School practices.
More opportunities for women farmers
The initiative will also give women farmers opportunities to showcase their products at local and international agricultural exhibitions and festivals, while young people can connect with the Emirates Youth Council for Agriculture.
Dr Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Food Diversity Sector at MOCCAE, said the programme would give women farmers the practical knowledge needed to improve production and manage their farms more effectively.
He said its practice-based approach would allow participants to make decisions based on both hands-on experience and scientific knowledge.
The expanded programme builds on an earlier Women Farmer Field School in Abu Samrah, Al Ain, where three participating women farmers went on to win the Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence.
The programme also ties into the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026, with a focus on passing sustainable agricultural knowledge between generations, improving household nutrition and encouraging more sustainable food practices.