On the sidelines of its participation at the 37th session of the GITEX Technology Week 2017, within Abu Dhabi's Digital Government pavilion, the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) has unveiled its five innovative systems in areas of food control and customer service. The authority has developed these systems to help in playing its monitoring role regarding agriculture and food safety.

In line with the emirate's orientations to ensure the highest levels of well-being and to enhance security and safety of its citizens, ADFCA's move stems from its belief in the important role of anticipating opportunities and challenges that may face the food sector in Abu Dhabi. In addition, ADFCA is developing innovative, long-term and proactive plans to form an insightful vision aligned with the strategy of the authority and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Besides, these plans aim at attaining qualitative and modern achievements, to meet the government's aspirations aim at enabling rapid digital transformation of government services and achieving excellence in delivering services, to realize Abu Dhabi Vision 2030.

For his side, Saeed Jassim, the Acting Director of Communication and Community Service Division at ADFCA, said: "To meet the wise leadership's aspirations aim to promote the concept of knowledge-based economy through making effective and sustainable digital transformation, we have developed exceptional and non-traditional systems in food control area. The authority has therefore taken the initiative of developing prototypes of these systems to be tested, as well as applying them to some food facilities operating in Abu Dhabi. "

"We have started in applying these systems to the area of food control as a first stage, while the second stage will be applied to the agricultural and animal control fields. Through its systems, ADFCA aims to provide modern solutions to ensure food safety and consumers' care in the emirate. The authority's systems further aim at reducing the pollution threats by taking all preventive measures, contributing effectively to applying food safety requirements, as well as developing operational systems to empower human competencies, increase the efficiency and productivity, and reduce the production's costs through optimizing the use of resources," Mr.  Jassim added.

Mr. Jassim pointed out that these systems included remote inspection system, visual communication and video-based surveillance system, monitoring system using sensor points, monitoring and tracking system for food trucks and vehicles dedicated for transporting food, and personal hygiene control system for staff. In addition to the foregoing, the authority's systems also included the food tracking system and the virtual reality simulation system, which reflects the authority's keenness to exploit modern technology in improving the services it provides to society and stakeholders. He also indicated that ADFCA developed a smart system allows consumers to use their smartphones to check the classification of food facilities, their rating and a brief report about their services. Moreover, the authority has developed smart programmes to train food traders on the best practices to provide safe food.

Mr. Saeed Jassim also said:" ADFCA has worked on developing the remote inspection system, which is the first of its kind in the field of food control, to be the first institution implementing such system. As it is one of the most promising projects, ADFCA seeks to implement it in light of the great economic renaissance experienced by the state and the increased demand for food products in the markets. The authority has already started experimenting with this system and activating it in a food facility operating in Abu Dhabi.

"The system is based on developing a smart interactive App, which allows inspectors to conduct a live inspection on the facility. It enables the facility's owner through using the video feature in his smartphone, to conduct a periodic self-inspection with the assistance of the inspector. The system also allows the owner to communicate with the inspector in charge in case of there is a risk requires to consult with the inspector," Jassim stated.

"The system aims to encourage the facility's owner to contribute to accelerating the necessary procedures, to play his role as an active element and a key partner in fulfilling his requests. Through the App, the facility's owner can attach all schemes, pictures and papers of his food activity. Thus, the authority's inspectors could review these attachments through holding a video conference, as well as expressing their opinions, approving requests and making a visit if necessary," Mr. Jassim clarified. He further noted that the authority seeks to verify the mandatory requirements instead of inspecting them.

Through its innovative systems, ADFCA aims at improving the operational efficiency, reducing efforts exerted in such processes, improving quality of services provided to customers, facilitating procedures, reducing wasted time while conducting the administrative transactions, reducing city's consumption of energy resources, as well as providing a high level of transparency and follow-up for the relevant stakeholders.

Furthermore, the authority aims to introduce consumers to ADFCA's vital role in maintaining community safety, spreading the culture of self-inspection, and strengthening its food control efforts in Abu Dhabi through combining the efforts of both official and consumer, to reap the customer satisfaction, which will be reflected positively on people's lives.