Dubai Municipality has adopted a behavioural insights approach as an innovative tool to support its efforts to reduce the improper disposal of agricultural waste, as part of its drive to develop an integrated waste management system.
Engineer Said Abdulrahim Safar, Director of Waste Operations at Dubai Municipality, said the municipality will study and understand the behaviour of farm, estate and residential property owners and their workers, and analyse the motivations and challenges influencing agricultural waste management practices. Drawing on the findings of behavioural studies and research, the municipality will implement a range of scientifically designed awareness and incentive interventions to encourage positive behaviours and enhance compliance with environmental requirements. These include the initial distribution of 5,000 SMS messages to raise awareness among residents in the Khawaneej area and a number of other districts, the development of more impactful awareness campaigns, improved communication channels with target groups, and greater uptake of services and initiatives dedicated to the proper disposal of agricultural waste in residential areas.
He added that, as part of Dubai Municipality's ongoing efforts to promote environmental awareness and embed sustainable practices, the municipality has sent an awareness notice entitled "Tips and Guidelines from Dubai Municipality on Handling Agricultural Waste" to companies operating in the agricultural services sector in the emirate. The notice contains a set of important guidelines calling for adherence to integrated agricultural waste management, most notably: ensuring that work sites are cleaned after pruning operations are completed; disposing of waste only at approved sites and not dumping it in public spaces; avoiding blockage of water drainage channels; not mixing agricultural waste with other types of waste; using licensed and covered vehicles during transport; and adhering to designated disposal schedules.
This initiative aims to enhance the sustainability of the city's cleanliness, reduce unsightly conditions, and preserve the civilised appearance of the Emirate of Dubai.
He noted that Dubai Municipality implemented an awareness campaign in 2025 entitled "Our Farms Are a National Wealth and a Source of Sustainable Life", targeting farm and estate owners and their workers, with the aim of spreading awareness of integrated waste management concepts and promoting sound environmental practices. Among the campaign's activities were awareness events designed to raise the environmental consciousness of estate and farm owners and reinforce safe waste disposal practices, particularly reducing open burning and addressing the pollution associated with it. The campaign included a series of field initiatives, most notably the identification of cleanliness-related environmental problems in the area, the preparation of an illustrative map of container locations and transfer stations in cooperation with the Geographic Information Systems Centre to facilitate guidance, and the design of multilingual awareness leaflets to educate workers on integrated waste management methods. These efforts form part of the municipality's commitment to protecting the environment and improving general cleanliness standards. The municipality also intends to continue these efforts by developing and expanding the awareness programme and re-implementing it during November and December of this year.