Dubai Municipality has unveiled the ‘Dubai’s Best Homegrown Produce Competition,’ a new initiative aiming to engage the community in local agriculture to enhance food security and improve the quality of life in the UAE. The contest is designed to encourage citizens and residents to utilize all possible spaces for growing fruits and vegetables, promoting self-sufficiency and increasing income.
Restricted to residential areas, excluding apartments, the competition offers a prize pool of Dh100,000, distributed among the top three participants as Dh50,000, Dh30,000, and Dh20,000, respectively. Winners will also receive a medal and public recognition from the Dubai Municipal Leaders, with results to be announced in May 2024.
Muhammad Abdul Rahman Al-Awadi, Director of the Agriculture Department at Dubai Municipality, highlighted the competition’s alignment with national strategies to enhance food security and environmental sustainability. He emphasized the role of local agriculture in supporting the emirate’s aesthetic, environmental, and food sustainability goals.
Participants can register online within a month, and the contest is open to all property or lease owners with home gardens. The selection criteria focus on sustainability, including the use of organic fertilizers, water and energy conservation, plant diversity, and innovative gardening techniques.
Dubai Municipality’s Farms Program will support participants with a range of services, from pest control and laboratory tests to competitive pricing for agricultural supplies, aligning with the broader aim of bolstering Dubai’s position in sustainable and secure food production.