Abu Dhabi, Uae Expands Farm Activities: One Hundred And Forty Five Farm Based Activities To Strengthen Food Security, Heritage Tourism, And Agritourism Development

Published on September 16, 2025

Abu Dhabi’s farms person been fixed a caller domiciled successful nan improvement of nan emirate. The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) precocious approved 74 caller farm-based economical activities, bringing nan full number of authorised farm-based economical activities to 145. The ruling, which amended erstwhile guidelines from 2023, was made arsenic portion of Decision No. 5 of 2025.

This description has not been presented arsenic a straightforward database of activities that are allowed. Rather, it has been offered arsenic a constituent of a larger scheme to bring farm-based operations into statement pinch Abu Dhabi’s sustainable improvement objectives while simultaneously opening up caller avenues for heritage, tourism, and nutrient production. Farms are nary longer seen arsenic confined cultivation holdings but alternatively arsenic multipurpose destinations.

The Breakdown of New Activities

The 74 further activities person been dispersed crossed six categories, reshaping what a workplace successful Abu Dhabi tin beryllium utilized for:

• Plant accumulation activities: forty-one caller activities autumn nether this heading, covering expanded harvest cultivation, greenhouse ventures, and related processes.
• Industrial support activities: Twelve activities person been added here, giving farms nan chance to prosecute successful nutrient processing and supply-chain support.
• Supporting works accumulation services: Nine activities person been outlined to assistance farms successful enhancing productivity done caller services and support systems.
• Food support services: Eight activities are permitted successful this field, aimed astatine linking farming pinch nan nutrient work and hospitality industries.
• General support services: Two activities person been defined to grip wide operational needs that link farms pinch commercialized frameworks.
• Recreational activities: Two activities are included that bring farms into nan realm of visitant experiences, recreation, and tourism.

By widening these categories, farms crossed nan emirate are expected to diversify beyond accepted accumulation and go hubs for agri-tourism, leisure and culture.

Rules Governing Expansion

The description of activities has been accompanied by strict conditions to support power and alignment. The astir important rules include:

• Size limitations: The built-up area utilized for economical aliases work activities cannot transcend limits wished by nan competent authority. Farms are not permitted to grow beingness structures beyond approved boundaries.
• Purpose alignment: Only activities accordant pinch nan farm’s designated intent are permitted. Activities unrelated to nan licensed intent of nan workplace cannot beryllium conducted.

These conditions person been designed to forestall uncontrolled improvement while still encouraging farms to service broader goals.

A Unified Regulatory Effort

The determination has not been handled by ADAFSA alone. Oversight is being coordinated pinch aggregate departments to guarantee that farms stay aligned pinch Abu Dhabi’s imagination for sustainable growth.

• The Department of Economic Development has been progressive successful regulating licensing and economical compliance.
• The Department of Municipalities and Transport has contributed to ensuring land-use readying and infrastructure standards are met.
• The Department of Culture and Tourism has taken portion successful connecting workplace activities pinch heritage, leisure and visitor-based experiences.

Together, these agencies are creating a unified regulatory model truthful that farms germinate successful statement pinch some sustainability and tourism development.

Farms arsenic New Destinations

The value of these changes reaches beyond farming. Farms are being reimagined as:

• Investment opportunities: Landowners will now beryllium capable to make income by hosting caller activities aliases services connected their farms.
• Recreational and taste spaces: Farms whitethorn beryllium opened to visitors who wish to acquisition accepted agriculture, taste activities, and section practice successful an authentic setting.
• Contributors to nutrient security: Expanded works accumulation and processing activities will fortify section nutrient supplies, trim reliance connected imports, and support nan UAE’s nutrient information agenda.

In effect, farms are being positioned arsenic portion of Abu Dhabi’s tourism offering while besides helping present connected nan UAE’s cultivation sustainability targets.

Supporting Food Security & Tourism Together

This description of permitted activities reflects nan emirate’s dual priorities. On 1 side, nan strategy is meant to fortify food security, which has been group arsenic a nationalist privilege by nan UAE government. On nan different hand, nan inclusion of recreational and practice activities connects straight to nan emirate’s extremity of building a thriving agri-tourism sector.

The attack ensures that visitors are drawn to farms not only for leisure but besides for an acquisition acquisition that highlights nan domiciled of agriculture successful nan country’s past and present. The exemplary reflects world trends successful which farms service arsenic some producers and tourism destinations, blending sustainability pinch taste heritage.

The Impact of Earlier Decisions

Under Decision No. 3 of 2023, a number of farms had already been licensed to prosecute successful non-traditional activities. Some were permitted to run holiday homes connected workplace plots, and others to group up mini hospitality aliases recreational services. This earlier activity of changes created a instauration connected which nan caller description has been built.

As a result, momentum has already been established. Many workplace owners person amended aliases expanded their licences, and liking successful recreational workplace experiences has been increasing steadily.

Looking Ahead

With nan summation of 74 caller activities, Abu Dhabi’s farms are group to go much versatile. It is expected that successful nan adjacent future:

• Farms will big visitors much regularly, offering practice and recreational experiences.
• Food accumulation and processing accommodation will beryllium expanded connected cultivation land.
• Licensing processes will beryllium streamlined to let controlled but progressive diversification.

Simple farming is giving measurement to multipurpose locations that use nan system and tourism. As a result, Abu Dhabi’s farms guidelines to lend importantly to nan emirate’s personality arsenic a modern centre pinch beardown taste ties.