UAE | Government

Food control strategy has emphasis on agriculture

Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority's five-year strategy will safeguard against any possibility of food-borne diseases.

  • By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:40 April 21, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Al Shariqi announcing the strategic plan at the food control authority on Monday.
  • Image Credit: Ahmed Kutty/Gulf News

Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority's five-year strategy will safeguard against any possibility of food-borne diseases.

"We will make a database of food-borne diseases to enable quick action against them," said Rashed M. Al Shariqi, Director-General of the ADFCA, who announced the strategy for 2008 to 2012 at a press conference on Monday.

"If any food-borne disease is reported the ADFCA will take all precautionary steps immediately," he said.

Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, will launch the strategy today. It envisages a system which will implement every provision of a comprehensive food safety law, announced two weeks ago.

The strategy places an emphasis on the agricultural sector as the department under Abu Dhabi Municipality merged with the ADFCA recently. It holds national importance, as 85 per cent of agricultural products in the country are from Abu Dhabi emirate, the director-general told Gulf News after the announcement.

"There are about 25,000 farms in the emirate.

"Our mission is to make farmers self-sufficient so they do not need to wait for government subsidies".

He said the ADFCA will also place an emphasis on organic farming.

Safety measures: From farm to fork

  • The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) was established on March 5, 2005, by law No 2 (2005) issued by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
  • The law aimed to protect people from food contamination, ensure high quality of food, and conduct studies and research on food safety. The Authority enjoys financial and administrative independence.
  • The Agriculture department under Abu Dhabi municipality merged with the ADFCA recently under a law issued by Shaikh Khalifa on May 22, 2007. Now the food safety measures in the emirate are from farm to fork, said Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa, Manager of the Communication and information Department at ADFCA.

Errant producers and outlets shamed

  • People can easily identify errant food producers or outlets ,thanks to a new policy decision by the ADFCA.
  • "Names of food companies or outlets which have been closed down by ADFCA will be posted on our website", said Mohammad Jalal Al Reyaysa, Manager of the Communication and information Department at ADFCA.
  • " We are resorting to this step because outlets are closed down after several procedures such as warnings and minor punishments. We close them down after giving enough chances. Such a situation proves that they don't want to rectify their mistakes", said Al Reyaysa.

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