Post by : Bianca
Haleem
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) achieved a major milestone in 2025 as 39,000 food handlers completed its Essential Food Safety Training (EFST) programme. Since its launch in 2008, nearly 300,000 people have benefited from the programme, which plays a key role in enhancing food safety and workforce skills across the emirate.
The EFST programme is mandatory under Food Law No. (2) of 2008 and Resolution No. (6) of 2020, which require compliance with ADAFSA-approved training. It equips food workers with essential knowledge to follow best hygiene practices, ensuring safe food handling and protecting public health.
In 2025, ADAFSA upgraded the programme with fully automated examinations via its Ghars educational platform, improving efficiency, accuracy, and performance monitoring. The authority also introduced its first interactive training module to enhance learning experiences.
The EFST programme includes four specialised streams: Catering, Manufacturing, Retail, and Animal Production (Slaughterhouse). Training is provided in Arabic, English, Hindi, Urdu, and Malayalam through over 10 accredited centres and two examination centres, catering to Abu Dhabi’s diverse workforce.
In December 2025, ADAFSA hosted a stakeholder meeting with training centres and the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET) to explore programme improvements, knowledge sharing, and capacity building. Accredited trainers also received upskilling through dedicated sessions.
To maintain high standards, ADAFSA conducted 13 evaluation visits in 2025, monitoring training quality and compliance. The authority emphasizes that EFST is central to Abu Dhabi’s food safety system, strengthening workforce competence, boosting consumer confidence, and ensuring safe food across all stages of the supply chain.
The growing participation in EFST reflects the commitment of food establishments to adopt best practices and highlights ADAFSA’s ongoing efforts to support the emirate’s quality of life goals.
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