Page 64 - MOE ENGLISH PR REPORT - DECEMBER 2024 (International)

Fujairah's Cacao Farm: A green tourism
destination showcasing Emirati farmers' innovation

● Farm cultivates between 1,000 and 5,000 cacao seedlings per season
● Cacao plants are grown under shaded agricultural nets, eliminating the need for high-
maintenance infrastructure

UAE, Abu Dhabi – 19 December 2024: The idea of growing cacao in the UAE, once deemed
impossible due to its hot and dry desert climate, has now become a reality.
Emirati entrepreneur Ahmad Al-Hafiti from Fujairah has defied the odds by
successfully cultivating cacao, a crop typically found in tropical, humid regions.

This achievement highlights the potential for agricultural innovation in the UAE,
transforming what was once a fantasy into a thriving reality.

The idea of the cacao farm has rapidly evolved into a green tourism hotspot at the
Wadi Dafta Plantation in Fujairah.

Visitors flock to witness this challenging yet successful venture, which cultivated
1,000 cacao seedlings last year, all of which were sold.

Additionally, three premium varieties of cacao from Uganda have been imported,
with plans to plant around 5,000 seedlings in the upcoming season, further expanding
this innovative agricultural project.

As part of the UAE’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurial talent across various
fields, Ahmad Al Hafti’s achievements in cultivating cacao and other tropical plants
have been celebrated nationally.

In March 2024, he received the Best Local Influencer in Agriculture Award from the
prestigious Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, recognizing
his contributions to sustainable farming in the country.

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