Farmers to be penalised for wasting water

The Eastern Agricultural Zone in Fujairah has started imposing penalties against farmers who are not committed to using modern irrigation systems in their farms to preserve what is left of the declining underground water in the East Coast.

Farmers who do not follow the instructions and recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries regarding modern irrigation systems will not receive help or be supplied with agricultural tools, fertilisers and seeds by the Eastern Agricultural Zone.

"Those who violate instructions will be penalised," said Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, Director of the Eastern Agricultural Zone in Fujairah.

He said modern irrigation systems have been used at all the new farms, and 60 to 70 per cent of the total 5,950 farms along the East Coast will have these new irrigation methods by the end of this year, according to the zone's plan.

Abdul Rahman warned against the serious drop in the underground water storage level in the East Coast and the rise in the saline level in wells at most of the farms situated on the coastal strip in Fujairah, Khor Fakkan, Kalba and Dibba.