Al Wathba Honey Festival Will Keep Abu Dhabi Sweet This February
The festival will bring together 100 Emirati beekeepers and 60 specialised honey production companies.
The Al Wathba Honey Festival has been launched as part of the Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi. Bringing together 100 Emirati beekeepers and 60 specialised honey production companies, the event highlights the region’s honey industry and its advancements. Running until February 9th, 2025, the festival aims to support local honey producers, promote Emirati honey products, and introduce global innovations in the field.
A specialised committee, working alongside the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, will evaluate honey samples submitted for assessment. Laboratory tests will examine purity, foreign substances, wax residues, crystallisation, colour consistency, and air bubbles to ensure high-quality production standards.
Efforts are underway to improve Emirati honeybee breeds and create optimal beekeeping conditions that support biodiversity and sustainability. The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council is implementing advanced honey testing methods to ensure global standards, boost consumer confidence, and support local producers through on-site testing services that provide valuable insights to enhance product quality and market competitiveness.
More than 60 companies will participate in workshops and seminars focusing on queen bee breeding and honey production techniques. Live demonstrations and panel discussions emphasise the importance of beekeeping, sustainability and biodiversity conservation through pollination efforts.
The festival features eight honey-related competitions with cash prizes totaling AED 315,000, along with trophies and honorary awards. The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award offers a total prize pool of AED 10 million, distributed across four main categories and 13 sub-awards. Additionally, 87 competitions covering agriculture, livestock, beekeeping, and aquaculture will take place during the Sheikh Zayed Festival.
The Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award, held under the theme ‘Innovative Farmer and Breeder with a Sustainable Vision’, celebrates achievements in food security and modern agricultural practices. A newly introduced category, ‘Outstanding Female Farmer and Breeder’, includes sub-awards such as Best Distinguished Farm and Best Distinguished Livestock Breeder.
