As part of its periodic meetings with farmers and livestock breeders in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has organised an awareness lecture at Al Wathba Council, in the presence of the residents. Presented by H.E. Mubarak Ali Al Mansouri, Executive Director of Agriculture Affairs at ADFCA, the lecture came as part of ADFCA's efforts to enhance the communication process with the society and to identify the public's needs regarding the improvement of the quality of ADFCA's services. The lecture highlighted ADFCA's plans and various efforts which aim at achieving prosperity and happiness for the society.

During the lecture, H.E. Al Mansouri presented a detailed explanation of ADFCA's agricultural services aim to achieve agricultural sustainability in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He also highlighted the authority's efforts in automating and developing the agricultural services, in line with Abu Dhabi Government's policy to promote e-transformation of all government services.

Al Mansouri referred to ADFCA's role in providing livestock's feed supplies to livestock breeders through its smart techniques that ensure decreasing waiting time for clients while delivering livestock's fodders. "There is no need for the personal presence of clients during purchasing and delivering of livestock's fodders," he said, adding that the authority's smart services allow customers to complete purchasing process over 24 hours a day and all the week. He further noted that the services allowed the customers to choose the available items and weights as well as to pay electronically.

He also clarified the proper instructions to be followed while storing fodders in the farms, to ensure the safety of feed. Al Mansouri stressed the need for adhering to the instructions of the agricultural guide regarding the best practices to be applied within the farms.

Al Mansouri also highlighted ADFCA's role in educating the community about the common diseases between animals and humans and ways to prevent the transmission of these diseases. He referred to ADFCA's efforts in raising awareness among livestock breeders about the risks of epidemics and pests, diagnosing diseases that threaten livestock, treating sick animals, detecting and controlling of internal and external parasites, vaccinating animals against different epidemic diseases, conducting surgeries, preventing diseases that transmit from animals to humans.

"ADFCA is conducting annual studies on existing diseases, assessing the status of endemic and emerging diseases, and identifying the causes of animal mortality, to eliminate these epidemics. This is due to achieve ADFCA's mission aims at enhancing the effectiveness of the bio-security system for the prevention of diseases and pests," Al Mansouri asserted.

He stressed some issues, included the need to avoid wrong practices in farms, which may threat the bio-security system and contribute to the proliferation of diseases and epidemics, the safe disposal of animal waste and dead animals by contacting the waste collection company, the need to ensure the safety of new animals before introducing them in the farms. He also affirmed the need to allocate a separate space to house sick animal, to communicate with the nearest public or private veterinary clinic in the event of any signs of illness or change in the behavior of animals, as well as the need to adhere to the therapeutic programme described by the veterinarian.

During the lecture, H.E. Mubarak Al Mansouri responded to a set of the attendees' queries. He also discussed the importance of the cooperation between ADFCA and livestock breeders to maintain and develop the livestock sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, Al Mansouri praised the vital role played by livestock breeders in enhancing the authority's efforts aimed at protecting human and animal health through eradicating the epidemics and pests affecting livestock, particularly those that transmit from animals to humans.

The attendees praised the efforts of Al Wathba Council for hosting this lecture and called for re-organising of such awareness-raising activities, which promote the good values of the society and build bridges of communication between citizens and the governmental institutions.

For his side, H.E. Mubarak Al Mansouri expressed his appreciations for hosting ADFCA's lecture by Al Wathba Counci. He also expressed his great appreciations to the participants for their attentiveness and interaction. Moreover, Al Mansouri extended his thanks to the council's management for hosting and managing the session, stressing the great role played by the neighborhood councils in raising the society's awareness.