Agriculture in the United Arab Emirates, including fishing, was a minor part of the UAE economy in the early 1990s, contributing less than 4 percent of GDP.
[1] Since the formation of the UAE, the availability of capital and the demand for fresh produce have encouraged agricultural development.
[1] Lack of ploughed land, intense heat, periodic locust swarms, and limited water supplies are the main obstacles to agriculture.
[1] The major vegetable crops, supplying nearly all the country's needs during the season, are tomatoes, cabbage, eggplant, squash, and cauliflower.
[1] Local dairies produced more than 73,000 tons of milk in 1991, meeting 92 percent of domestic demand.
[1] Trees and shrubs are distributed free to schools, government afforestation companies receive contracts to plant plots in the range of 200 to 300 hectares.
[1] The goals are to improve the appearance of public places as well as to prevent the desertification process in vulnerable agricultural areas.
The government has supported traditional fishing in the rich waters off the UAE, an activity that has provided a livelihood for centuries along the coast.