UAE: AED8,400 financial support announced for low-income farmers – News

Authorities set requirements, eligibility criteria and how subsidies will be awarded

UAE authorities on Saturday announced details of the financial support that will be provided to Emirati farmers with limited income.

Meanwhile, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a directive directing the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) and Etihad Hydro to help ease the financial burden on farmers, Especially the financial burden associated with utility bills.

The two entities took immediate action by announcing a new support program that will be launched in July.

The electricity subsidy of Dh8,400 will be allocated to each beneficiary every year, they said. This amount corresponds to a maximum consumption of 2,500 kW/h per month.

Beneficiaries can check the monthly subsidy amount through the Etihad Hydro service channel, subject to the farm consumption bill.

The ministry will work with utilities to identify and verify the list of approved beneficiaries on a monthly basis.

A text message will be sent to the beneficiary who will provide the necessary details in addition to completing the application form.

Beneficiaries can also register on the MoCD’s website. This support covers eligible low-income farmers registered with federal or local social welfare programs.

Farms used for commercial purposes will not be eligible for support, and farmers should not receive additional support for the electricity consumption of any farms they own.

If beneficiaries own more than one farm, they should update their data with Etihad Hydro before applying to the ministry for the support scheme.

After finalizing and approving the list of beneficiaries, the ministry will transfer the deducted amount directly to Etihad Hydro. This amount will be deducted directly from the farm’s monthly electricity bill.