Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority ( ADFCA) will showcase a number of initiatives and projects it implemented in vow to strengthen sustainability by preserving water recourses and to bring the 'wise use of water' concepts to practical fields, in the third edition of International Water Summit opens tomorrow (19 January 2014) under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces and The Chairman of Executive Council and will continue till 22nd of this month at the National Exhibition Center ( ADNEC).
According to the officials, ADFCA is participating in the Summit for the third consecutive year underscoring its deep-rooted commitment towards the principles of sustainability and also marking its continuous efforts to check the bad practices in the water consumption through a bouquet of promising initiatives.
"Given the position of water as a strategic recourse and being the key element of sustainability and also considering the agriculture as the most water consuming sector, ADFCA has come up with a number of initiatives that beacon for sustainable local agricultural production with keeping a fine balance between economical, environmental and social objectives" said Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director of Communication & Community Service Division of ADFCA while commenting on the program.
"We are looking forward to showcase in the Summit, latest irrigation technologies and projects ADFCA promoted and implemented in many agricultural farms in Abu Dhabi which substantially contributed in escalating status of the sector with the focus on the best use of water recourses with no more harms to generation next's rights" he explained further.
According to him ADFCA will exhibit its project to study water consumption rates in the farms which focused on the comparison of water consumption rates prevailing at various agricultural farms considering the different crops they yield and on adopting best programs to ensure rationalization of irrigational water in addition to the study on treated sewage water which revealed that it can be used to irrigate any farms in Abu Dhabi irrespective of the type of crops they yield as well as that it falls under the Other Use category prescribed by UN and FAO, for irrigation.
He said ADFCA will also showcase its various efforts to educate on the good agricultural practices by implementing GLOBAL GAP criteria in Abu Dhabi farms which mainly focusing on sustainable agricultural growth, safety of local products, protection of environment and resources and the improvement of occupational health & safety standards with those who work in the farms.
It is noted that ADFCA has been keen on launching initiatives to spread the concept of rationalized use of water which includes the decision to stop farming of Rhodes grass, which is the most water consuming cultivation in the emirate, at 16,000 farms which brought in a halt in the farming of the fodder grass in some 10,500 farms till 2011.
ADFCA's efforts also focused in saving water in the irrigation activities for Date Palms which comes second in most water consumption rates after Rhodes, figured as 34% of total water consumption.
Visitors to the Summit will also have a chance to understand about ADFCA's public awareness drives and projects aiming at imparting education on the best and wise use of natural resources.
International Water Summit is considered to be one of the main annual global events that is dedicated for the future of water, creating a potential platform for the stake holders in the government and private sector and also for those who are in the business and investment sector to interact and deliberate on a wide range of topics related to world water solutions.
