The announcement to form the UAPP, a non-profit association, was made Thursday on DLG’s digital platform, which hosted the online meeting of the founding poultry associations that include the Emirates Poultry Association, presenting the UAPP, as well as contributions from the Jordanian, Sudanese, Tunisian, Kuwaiti and Saudi institutions. The UAPP will be profiting from DLG’s experience in knowledge-sharing to equip farmers with best practice know-how.

Comprising representatives from poultry production associations from countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the new organization UAPP aims to pool knowledge in poultry production in the areas of biosecurity and animal health as well as efficient feed composition and modern production technology among diverse topics.

The first general assembly of the UAPP, for the election of its president and executive committee, will be held at the second edition of the EuroTier Middle East trade fair, 21-23 March, 2022, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Similar knowledge-sharing remit to the DLG

This new association will be headquartered in Abu Dhabi in the UAE and will include members from key poultry producer associations and poultry farms in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia and the UAE. With a similar knowledge-sharing remit to the DLG, the UAPP will support poultry producers in the member countries to promote poultry production skills through workshops, training and specialist conferences. Membership is open to poultry farmers, poultry associations and related research centers in all parts of the Arab world.

At yesterday's meeting one of the founding members of the UAPP, Mr. Saif Mohamed Obaid Barzaiq, Head of Media Committee at Emirates Association of Poultry Breeders, emphasised the inspiring role the DLG had played in the formation of this new umbrella organisation, highlighting that DLG's non-profit objective of supporting farmers through knowledge transfer and its long experience in managing similar associations, like the European Poultry Club, had served as a model for its foundation. Mr. Barzaiq stated that the UAPP intends to work closely with the DLG and its partner Multibridge in the Middle East.

“The Union of Arab Poultry Producers is a tremendous initiative and today we are happy to announce its official inception. The members of UAPP will be able to benefit from knowledge from poultry associations from a wide range of nations. Knowledge-sharing activities are planned in the areas of food safety, veterinary and animal health topics, feed as well as market development. We look forward to finalising the memberships over the next few months and to our first official meeting at EuroTier Middle East in March 2022,” said HH Sheikh Hamed Bin Khadem Bin Butti Al Hamid, Chairman Bin Butti.

Poultry production - key pillar of livestock production in Arab countries

Poultry production is a key pillar of livestock production in Arab countries and plays an essential role in national food safety programs, one of the areas of knowledge that will be a key focus of UAPP. Challenges and solutions to be discussed by the association include improved understanding of feed conversion ratio, the commercialization of by-products, production costs, as well as competitiveness. Education centres and advanced laboratory analysis of feed and diseases will be discussed as future areas of interest. Furthermore, the UAPP will be monitoring the latest technological advances from western countries.

The meeting held yesterday was viewed by 60 attendees from all over the world, who tuned into the live event. Speakers were Mr. Mohamed Abu Mahfouth, Project Production Manager, Kuwait United Poultry Company(KUPCO); Mr. Hani Rashad Sinokrot, Owner of Sinokrot Poultry Farms as well as Member of Poultry and Feed Investors Association Jordan; Mr. Saif Mohamed Obaid Barzaiq, Head of Media Committee at Emirates association of poultry breeders. Mrs. Susanne Gäckler, Managing Director of the European Poultry Club DLG, moderated the event.

EuroTier Business Day highlighted need for cooperation across countries

The announcement to establish the UAPP followed the EuroTier Business Day, an online workshop organized by the DLG and held earlier this month on its digital platform in partnership with the German Ministry of Agriculture (BMEL). International poultry experts noted that many countries face similar challenges, and joining forces across countries presents an opportunity to work on these challenges with combined efforts.

Founding members of the UAPP were speakers at that event and included Mr. Saif Mohamed Obaid Barzaiq, Chief Support Officer Al Ain Farms, Head of Media Committee at Emirates Association of Poultry Breeders; Dr. Mohamed Abu Mahfouth, Project Production Manager, KUPCO; Eng. Fuad Al Muhaisen, Poultry Producers of Jordan and Mr. Hani Rashad Sinokrot, Owner and General Manager, Sinokrot Poultry Farms.

With 200 attendees and covering an array of topics from animal health, market overviews in individual middle eastern countries as well as tips on business etiquette, speakers at the workshop also included Michael Hauck, BMEL, Klaus Streng, Senior Head of CIS, Asia and Near East, Miavit Dr. Michael Krämer, Senior Lawyer, Meyer-Reumann & Partners, Dr. Hamid Ragab Orban, Animal Production Specialist, ADAFSA, Eng. Hatem Ahmadie, Production Manager, Aldahra. Program details available here: https://www.eurotiermiddleeast.com/events/eurotier-middle-east-business-days

The next EuroTier Middle East trade fair will take place on 21-23 March, 2022 and includes special focus on poultry production covering genetics, production equipment, health and nutrition processing and packaging, among other topics. EuroTier Middle East, a leading trade fair for livestock production technologies, is organized by the DLG along with its partners Multibridge Event Management and ADAFSA with the aim of bringing together the global animal farming industry under one roof to showcase the latest in technology, innovation and know-how tailored to the Middle Eastern and regional market.