Sharjah unveils Qand and Mzra'ati at Mleiha Farm

April 20, 2026 / 6:33 PM

Sharjah 24: Engineer Dr Khalifa Musbah Al Tunaiji, Chairman of the Department of Agriculture and Livestock, has announced two significant launches timed to coincide with the fourth season of the wheat harvest at the Mleiha farm. The first is "Qand"—a new luxury confectionery and chocolate brand that Dr. Al-Tunaiji described as a natural ambassador for Sharjah and the UAE, carrying the emirate's flavours and character to a wider world as a quiet but meaningful expression of soft power.

From the farm to the world

Speaking to Sharjah 24, Dr Al Tunaiji said the Mleiha harvest season has become about far more than wheat. This year, it served as a backdrop for a broader vision – one that connects land with innovation and tradition with ambition. The Qand brand, he said, is not simply a commercial venture. It is a statement about what Sharjah produces, what it values, and how it wishes to present itself on the international stage.

Science, research, and academic partnership

Alongside the brand launch, a scientific research exhibition was opened at the site, bringing together the University of Sharjah, the University of Dhaid, and the Quarter Century of Science and Technology Centre. The exhibition showed how committed the department is to basing its agricultural projects on research and building strong partnerships with universities. This ensures that fieldwork is based on lab work.

A digital home for Sharjah's farmers

The season also saw the launch of "Mzra'ati" (My Farm), a fully integrated digital platform designed specifically to serve Sharjah's farming and livestock communities. Farmers and livestock breeders can use the platform to access government services online, eliminating the need to visit the office and fill out forms. It also provides users with regular reports and early-warning alerts on crop health indicators, putting timely, practical information directly into the hands of the people who need it most.

Dr Al Tunaiji said the platform represents a genuine step forward in empowering Sharjah's agricultural community — making it easier for them to do what they do, being better informed and better supported than ever before.