- The circle discussed the role of Emirati women and youth in promoting the sustainability of the agricultural sector and supporting the national food security system.
- Launched of a guide highlighting key current and future specialisations that Emirati women can pursue in the agricultural sector.
- Launch of a dedicated track to support and empower women in the agricultural sector within the Agricultural Empowerment Program of the UAE Youth Council for Agriculture.
Al Ain, April, 2026: The third day of the Emirates Agriculture Conference and Exhibition 2026, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, featured a ministerial session titled ‘Roots Extending to Tomorrow: The Future of Agriculture Under Emirati Women’s Leadership’, which brought together several Ministers and senior leaders to discuss the future of sustainable agriculture in the UAE.
The session is part of ongoing efforts to increase the participation of youth and women in key sectors, strengthening their role in supporting agriculture sustainability and national food security.
Speakers included Her Excellency Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; His Excellency Dr Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; and His Excellency Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei, Secretary-General of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council (ETCC), alongside prominent Emirati male and female youth role models.
Moderated by Hamad Mohammed Al Kaabi from the Emirates Youth Council for Agriculture, the session demonstrated strong governmental collaboration, with high-level participation focused on empowering young Emirati talent and showcasing the agricultural sector as a strategic field tied to sustainability, innovation, and food security.
During the session, a specialised guide was unveiled to showcase key current and future opportunities available to Emirati women in agriculture. The guide aims to inspire young women by raising awareness of promising career paths in the sector, while also encouraging their contributions to innovation, sustainability, and food security.
In addition, a dedicated track under the Agricultural Empowerment Programme of the Emirates Youth Council for Agriculture was announced. This initiative is designed to create a supportive ecosystem for Emirati women, equipping them with the tools to enhance their skills and expand their professional and entrepreneurial expertise across diverse agricultural fields.
Empowering Young Emirati Women in Agriculture:
Her Excellency Dr. Amna Al Dahak stated: “In the UAE, women are not just participants in agriculture but strategic partners and a pillar of the sector’s sustainability. Our leadership firmly believes that sustainable food security is impossible without genuinely empowering women and youth.”
Her Excellency highlighted that empowering young Emirati women in agriculture is guided by a comprehensive vision, focusing on fostering innovation, enabling economic empowerment and entrepreneurship, and providing specialised training to develop leadership skills, ensuring their active and impactful role in shaping the future of national food security.
Her Excellency added: “The UAE doesn’t simply follow global trends; we lead them with practical, impactful initiatives. In alignment with the FAO’s declaration of 2026 as the ‘International Year of the Woman Farmer,’ we fully support this global vision. During our recent presidency of the FAO Regional Conference, we united global efforts, advocating for comprehensive policies to empower women and youth both technologically and financially. We firmly believe that investing in their potential is critical to building sustainable and resilient food systems.”
Strengthening Youth Presence in Strategic Sectors:
His Excellency Dr Al Neyadi emphasised that participating in this gathering for the second consecutive year reflects a steadfast commitment to increasing youth involvement in strategic sectors, particularly agriculture and food security, key pillars of sustainability and future development. He highlighted that this participation aims to broaden young people’s understanding of the significant opportunities within the food sector. He also stressed that agriculture is an open field for everyone, men and women alike, and that its future has become a dynamic space for innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
His Excellency explained that the outdated perception of farming as exhausting physical labour no longer aligns with the reality of a sector undergoing a profound transformation, driven by smart solutions and advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence. He noted that the UAE, leveraging its leadership in adopting and integrating technology across industries, is actively equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed to harness these innovations in agriculture. This, he said, would enhance productivity, reduce costs, improve resource efficiency, and bolster national food security.
His Excellency further highlighted that opportunities in agriculture are now accessible to all, drawing attention to the growing role of young Emirati women in the field. A farm visit organised by the Youth Council revealed a remarkable shift, with the majority of workers being young Emirati women.
His Excellency viewed this as a powerful indicator of changing societal attitudes towards modern agriculture and a clear testament to the capability of young women to make meaningful contributions to a sector that lies at the crossroads of innovation, sustainability, and national progress.
‘NAFIS’ a National Platform for Empowering Emirati Talent in the Private Sector
His Excellency Ghannam Butti Al Mazrouei observed that this session speaks to the growing and increasingly important role of Emirati women in future-focused sectors, with agriculture leading the way. As a field directly tied to sustainability, food security, and innovation, agriculture offers young Emirati talent a genuine opportunity to help build a more competitive, future-ready economy.
He noted that holding this youth session in Al Ain carries particular significance. The city has deep roots in the UAE’s agricultural heritage, and Al Ain Oasis stands as a living testament to thousands of years of humanity’s relationship with land and resources. It also evokes the enduring legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, whose vision placed agriculture at the very heart of nation-building and sustainability.
His Excellency highlighted the NAFIS programme as a key national platform for empowering Emiratis in the private sector, opening new career pathways and supporting training, qualification, and professional growth. Emirati women have been central to this journey, accounting for 74% of the programme’s total beneficiaries. This figure speaks volumes about the readiness of Emirati women to seize and excel in opportunities when given a supportive environment and a clear direction.
He added that extending NAFIS through 2040 gives young Emirati women greater confidence to build sustainable careers in the private sector, while encouraging companies to invest long-term in national female talent, particularly in food security and sustainability. Empowering Emirati women in agriculture, he stressed, goes beyond the labour market. It actively strengthens national food security and contributes to a more resilient, innovative food system. Every national talent entering this sector is a genuine asset to the nation’s future.
His Excellency pointed to thriving Emirati models in the private agricultural sector as proof of what women can achieve with the right opportunity and support. He highlighted the experience of Mariam Al Mansouri, winner of the inaugural NAFIS Award, as an inspiring example of a young Emirati woman who chose agriculture as her career and carved out a place for herself in a sector that blends fieldwork, specialist knowledge, and community impact. Such stories, he affirmed, send a clear message that agriculture today is not a traditional field but a space for excellence, influence, and building a more sustainable future.
