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The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) is assembling an inter-departmental team to help implement the Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2018 on local plant farming and nature conservation.
Issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the resolution aims to motivate citizens and residents of the UAE to join hands in preserving and rehabilitating the natural habitats of local plants.
In coordination with relevant local authorities, the team will identify crops that can thrive in the UAE’s arid environment and allocate plots of land for the cultivation of local plants. Furthermore, it will appoint partners from the government as well as private nurseries to supply seeds and saplings, and identify procedures to distribute them, along with guidelines on their cultivation, to the public.
His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “We are collaborating with our stakeholders and the wider community to get the implementation of this resolution on local plant farming and nature conservation underway. We believe such efforts will significantly contribute to encouraging public engagement in our efforts to preserve the UAE’s rich biodiversity.”
He added: “Owing to the environmentally conscious mindset of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, our government has long been committed to supporting agriculture. As smart agricultural practices continue to gain traction, the sector is becoming more efficient – and certainly more sustainable – with regard to the utilization of natural resources.”
To raise awareness of local crops, the Ministry will incorporate a bilingual microsite titled ‘Ghars Zayed’ (Saplings of Zayed) into its portal. To be launched by end-November 2019, the site will offer ample information on species of local plants, particularly endangered ones, ways to care for them, and seed distribution locations. In addition, members of the community will be able to post pictures and videos of their cultivation efforts online.
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