What happened?
Dubai has launched the Al Freej Gardener initiative, a new digital platform that will allow residents to book licensed gardening and landscaping services through the Careem app.

Who is affected?
Homeowners, villa residents, property managers, gardening companies and licensed landscaping professionals across Dubai.

Why does it matter?
The initiative aims to improve service quality, ensure gardeners operate legally, promote sustainable landscaping and make it easier for residents to find trusted professionals.

At a Glance

• Location: Dubai, UAE
• Organisation: Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police, GDRFA Dubai and Careem
• Status: Service expected to launch in September 2026
• Who is affected: Residents, villa owners, landscaping companies and licensed gardeners
• Business impact: Creates a regulated digital marketplace for gardening services
• What’s next: Residents will be able to book approved gardening professionals directly through the Careem app

Dubai residents will soon have a simpler and safer way to book professional gardening services. The Al Freej Gardener initiative, announced by Dubai Municipality, Dubai Police and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) – Dubai, in partnership with Careem, will connect residents with licensed gardeners and landscaping specialists through the Careem app from September. The new platform aims to improve service quality, regulate the home gardening sector and support Dubai’s vision of creating greener, more sustainable communities.

How will the Al Freej Gardener service work?

The Al Freej Gardener platform is designed to bring licensed gardening services together in one place.

Instead of searching for gardeners through informal channels, residents will be able to book approved professionals directly via the Careem app. According to the participating authorities, only licensed companies and qualified workers that meet legal and regulatory requirements will be available on the platform.

Residents will have access to several services, including:

• Garden design
• Landscaping
• Routine garden maintenance
• Irrigation system installation
• Irrigation repairs
• Agricultural consultancy
• Custom gardening packages for homes

The goal is to make the booking process more convenient while giving residents greater confidence that the professionals entering their homes meet official standards.

Which government authorities are behind the initiative?

The project is a joint effort between several government entities and the private sector.

Dubai Municipality is leading the initiative alongside Dubai Police and GDRFA Dubai, with Careem serving as the technology partner.

The partnership was formalised through a memorandum of cooperation signed by the participating organisations. The signing ceremony was witnessed by senior officials, including:

• Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police
• Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai
• Eng. Marwan Ahmed bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality

Each organisation will oversee different aspects of the programme, from regulation and public awareness to legal compliance and digital service delivery.

Why is Dubai introducing a licensed gardening platform?

The initiative goes beyond simply making it easier to book gardeners.

According to Dubai Municipality and its partners, the platform is intended to organise and regulate the home gardening and landscaping sector while improving safety and service standards across residential communities.

Some of the key objectives include:

• Connecting residents with verified professionals
• Supporting legal employment practices
• Improving the quality of home gardening services
• Enhancing safety within residential neighbourhoods
• Encouraging environmentally responsible landscaping
• Promoting sustainable gardening methods

Dubai Municipality is also expected to organise awareness campaigns and training programmes to encourage sustainable landscaping practices that support the emirate’s long-term environmental goals.

How does this support Dubai’s green future?

Dubai has continued investing in greener neighbourhoods through new parks, landscaped roads, public gardens and urban greening projects.

The Al Freej Gardener initiative complements these wider efforts by encouraging residents to maintain private gardens using qualified professionals and sustainable practices.

Well-maintained home gardens contribute to healthier neighbourhoods, improve the appearance of residential communities and support Dubai’s broader environmental strategy.

The initiative also reflects Dubai’s wider digital transformation agenda, where government services increasingly use technology to make everyday tasks faster and more convenient for residents.

Careem already supports several public services across Dubai, making the platform a familiar choice for users who regularly rely on the app.

What role will Dubai Police and GDRFA play?

While Dubai Municipality will oversee the overall project, the other government partners will focus on compliance and public awareness.

Dubai Police will conduct awareness campaigns to educate residents and service providers about using approved gardening services and following safety best practices.

Meanwhile, GDRFA Dubai will provide guidance on visa and work permit requirements for gardening professionals. The authority will also help raise awareness about legal employment procedures to ensure companies and workers comply with UAE regulations.

Together, the three government entities aim to create a more transparent and trusted home services sector.

Why It Matters

For Dubai residents, the new platform offers a safer and more reliable way to hire gardening professionals.

Here’s why it matters:

• Residents can easily book licensed gardeners through one trusted platform.
• Approved professionals provide greater confidence and accountability.
• Licensed companies gain better visibility through a government-backed digital marketplace.
• Sustainable landscaping practices help support Dubai’s environmental goals.
• The initiative strengthens regulation across the home gardening sector while improving service quality.

As more government services become available through digital platforms, initiatives like Al Freej Gardener are expected to make everyday home maintenance easier and more transparent.

FAQs

When will Al Freej Gardener launch?

The service is expected to become available through the Careem app in September 2026.

Which app will residents use?

Residents will be able to book licensed gardening services directly through the Careem app.

What services will be available?

The platform will offer garden design, landscaping, maintenance, irrigation installation and repair, and agricultural consultancy.

Who is managing the initiative?

Dubai Municipality leads the initiative in partnership with Dubai Police, GDRFA Dubai and Careem.

Will only licensed gardeners be available?

Yes. According to the participating authorities, the platform will feature approved companies and qualified professionals that meet legal and regulatory requirements.

Dubai’s Al Freej Gardener initiative is set to make home gardening services more organised, reliable and accessible. By bringing licensed professionals onto a single digital platform, the city is taking another step towards smarter public services while supporting sustainable landscaping and stronger regulation across the sector. Once the service launches in September, residents will have a trusted new way to keep their gardens looking their best.

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