Inaugural Hatta Farming Festival; five-day festival aimed at supporting local farmers, traders, and small business owners

Local farmers showcase their finest food and talents at the inaugural Hatta Farming Festival, for a chance to win up to Dh20,000, while tourists can learn agricultural practices and explore an old underground falaj or irrigation system. The festival will be held until February 27.

The five-day farm festival got underway on Friday and aims to help small business owners, farmers, and traders in the area while also boosting tourism as visitors can explore the historic Hatta Falaj Al Sharia, an underground tunnel that is 587 metres long and was built in the past to collect water from a nearby mountain to irrigate the plains. The falaj, which Dubai Municipality restored in 2019, is presently operating as it did hundreds of years ago.

At the farm fair, local farmers exhibit various vegetables, fruits, eggs, jam, and ghee, providing a platform for Hatta farms and food. Additionally, they are competing for awards in the categories of "Best Productive Farm" and "Best Productive Barn," which range from Dh5,000 to Dh20,000.

Hatta Farming Festival is free to enter and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. They get access to over 25 workshops covering subjects related to sustainability, such as producing their food, purifying water, and ensuring food security. In addition, they may learn how to care for and raise their animals, such as goats and chickens, and participate in an animal auction. In addition, there are programmes to pique children's interest in gardening and agriculture, as well as nature-themed storytelling and sketching classes. 

Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), in collaboration with the Roads and Transport Authority, Hatta Traders Council, and the Dubai Municipality, is organising the farming event.