To raise awareness among children about food security and food safety, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) partnered with Spacetoon, a leading content creator, provider, and streamer directed to families. As part of the collaboration, six short stories were adapted into engaging cartoon episodes for children, which aired on Spacetoon by the end of October 2024 and continued throughout the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba.

The animated stories, each lasting between four to five minutes, tackled key topics related to agriculture and food safety in a child-friendly and educational format. The episodes covered a broad spectrum of topics, including reducing food waste, the value of food, the importance of responsible consumption, ne’ma – the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, water conservation, the benefits of drip irrigation in farming, and food safety during family trips in the winter.

Other topics addressed the importance of understanding food labels, allergies, animal health, preventing common diseases that could spread between humans and animals, and the connection between animal welfare and human health.

Set against the cultural backdrop of Abu Dhabi, the stories incorporated local characters and environments, enhancing the effectiveness of the educational content. The use of familiar Emirati family characters also aimed to solidify the connection with the young audience. The characters and places in the episodes were designed to be relatable to children, contributing to the reinforcement of the concepts presented.

Badr Hassan Al Shehhi, Director of Communication and Community Engagement at ADAFSA, said: *“We were delighted to collaborate with Spacetoon on this important initiative aimed at instilling values of sustainability and healthy nutrition in children from an early age. By presenting these concepts in an entertaining and accessible way, we hoped to nurture a generation that understood the importance of food security and could make informed food choices.

“These episodes served not only as entertainment but also as a valuable educational resource, simplifying complex concepts for children in a fun and engaging way. We hoped that these episodes would be an incentive for children to explore more about the world of agriculture and food. ADAFSA had previously published a series of comics that were well-received by children, especially at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.”*

Al Shehhi expressed confidence that the cartoons resonated with children, encouraging positive behavioural changes and promoting family and community-level awareness about healthy eating. He highlighted the significance of showcasing the cartoons at the Sheikh Zayed Festival, one of the country’s most important cultural events, which enhanced the educational and cultural dimensions of ADAFSA's participation.

Kamel Weiss, Business and Content Director at Spacetoon Group, said: “We were excited to partner with ADAFSA to create an impactful animation that inspired young minds to embrace sustainable food practices, aligning with our mission to empower future generations.”

ADAFSA had already produced three educational booklets and ten entertaining stories aimed at raising awareness among children about agriculture, food safety, and animal welfare. More than 150,000 copies were printed and distributed, receiving widespread acclaim, particularly at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2024.

The printed collection of stories covered a wide range of topics, including the work and services of ADAFSA, diseases common to humans and animals, food labels, water use in irrigation, food waste, food safety in desert trips, Eid sacrifices, animal welfare, fresh fish, as well as beekeeping and honey production.