​Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority has started the second phase of the agricultural census project in cooperation with the Farmers' Services Centre and SCAD which is an extensive statistical process aiming at collecting quantitative information on the different categories in the agricultural sector namely botanical, animal, botanical & animal, and fisheries.

Researchers, inspectors and technical staff at ADFCA will roam around the agricultural areas in coming days to collect information and record it categorized, with this phase is considered the most important part of the project given the accuracy and comprehensiveness of collected data are crucial, before decision-makers, policy-drafters and strategic planners.

In this regard, Mohamed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director of Communication & Community Service Division at ADFC A said: “The project will produce a perfect study for various government agencies on the changes emerging in the various components of the agricultural sector with an emphasis on the characteristics and growth ratio of these components.”

“A project that spans the whole geographical area of Abu Dhabi, it will also help researchers and others concerned with agricultural sector to utilize the output in their studies on the changes occurring in various elements of the sector” he said.

According to him, the first phase of the project which focused on animals ( farms) finished recently and the new phase is concentrating on botanical farms and the mixed category having animals and plants both.  

He pointed out that the census project is carried out according to international standards of statistical methodology and frequency- as it is done each ten years- which are followed by other competent statistical agencies in the country like National Statistic Center and Statistic Center Abu Dhabi.

Mr. Al Rayssi explained that the project is an advanced and comprehensive frame work that include yearly and quarterly agricultural statistical surveys on agricultural space, production, agricultural product inputs, livestock, capital formation in the agriculture, fisheries and in honey-bee breeding  as well as creating basic and structural data-base for the agricultural sector and a detailed data bank for agricultural holdings and holders.

‘Getting the result figures of census approved from the competent statistical agencies in the national and international level, analyzing  and disseminating of the information as well as to fill the gap in some agricultural data to meet the needs of users in different areas also come as  the integral part of the project, he said.

 He stressed that the project is in line with the Abu Dhabi Government policies -which falls under the responsibility of ADFCA – that underscoring  sustainable environmental development of the agriculture sector, food safety and security of food supplies to Abu Dhabi Emirate.