With the attendance of 50 experts and specialists in the Date Palm cultivation sector, and representing 12 countries

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation General Secretariat, organized a scientific virtual lecture on the “The Arab Society for Plant Protection and its role in spreading awareness on Date Palm Pest Management”, presented by Dr. Ibrahim Al Jubouri, President of the Arab Society for Plant Protection, on Monday 12^th of July, 2021, with the attendance of 50 experts and specialists in the Date Palm cultivation sector, and representing 12 Arab countries. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Award’s Secretary General, noted that this virtual lecture comes under the directives of H.E. Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, and within the Award’s framework and commitment to spread the scientific knowledge and awareness specialized in date palm cultivation production.

Dr. Ibrahim Al Jubouri from his side highlighted the role of the Arab Society for Plant Protection, which has more than 1,000 members from 17 Arab countries, in addition to members from Iran, Pakistan, India, Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, England, and USA. Dr. Ibrahim then presented the Society’s achievements since its founding in 1981, where it had a significant role in spreading knowledge, technical awareness, and identifying pests and their management through conferences held every three years and scientific books and publications that cover all activities related to plant protection. Dr. Ibrahim also stressed on the fact that the Arab Society for Plant Protection is a professional, non-profit cultural organization, consisting of scientists belonging to academic institutes, as well as both public and private scientific and industrial organizations, where it represents a diverse group of scientists specialized in the fields of plant protection internationally and in the Arab world. The association works to promote research, education, and extension activities related to pests, by providing scientifically based information to the public and private sectors, and enhance awareness on pests and their effects on agronomic systems, and the environment. The association is an associate member of the International Society of Plant Protection (IAPPS), the Plant Pathology Union of the Mediterranean Basin Countries (MPU), and the International Society of Plant Diseases (ISPP).

Dr. Ibrahim Al Jubouri, then concluded the lecture by highlighting the great role played by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in supporting and developing the date palm cultivation sector and the date production worldwide, through the organizing of Jordan International Date Palm Festival, Sudan International Date Palm Festival, and Egypt International Date Palm Festival and the accompanying activities and events. Which actively contributed to the increase of the reputation of the Arab dates and the volume of exports, in addition to the series of international conferences organized by the Award’s General Secretariat.