With the attendance of 95 farmers and experts in the Date Palm cultivation sector, and representing 12 Arab countries

Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation organized a virtual lecture, presenting “Date palm adaptation to climate changes and environmental challenges”, by Dr. Abdulbaset Ouda, Physiology and Date Palm Horticulture Professor, Date Palm Specialist, Consultant in the Arabian Peninsula Regional Program (APRP) (ICARDA), on Sunday the 20th of December, 2020. The lecture was attended by 95 participants, representing 12 countries, among which are members of the Date Palm Friends Society in the UAE, date palm farmers, and Agricultural experts.

This virtual lecture held via Zoom, comes under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees, and within the Award’s framework and commitment to spread the scientific knowledge and awareness on the Date Palm Best Practices, and providing technical and scientific advice and support to farmers to help them improve the Dates quality. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Award’s Secretary General, expressed his appreciation to the extended scientific and professional efforts made by the international date palm expert, Dr. Abdulbaset Ouda in increasing the growth and development rates of the food industry. Pointing out that the Arabic dates are eligible to compete internationally, where some have already achieved advanced rankings in the global date palm market. Thanks to a set of factors, where one of the most important factors is the full application of good agricultural and manufacturing practices which will in return increase the value of Arabic dates.

For his side, Dr. Abdulbaset Ouda, presented during the lecture that the International Committee for Climate Change affirmed that the Arab region will be the most vulnerable region to the potential effects of climate change, as it includes the world’s most arid regions. Where 75% of agricultural areas depends on rain. These changes will lead to higher temperatures, decrease in the rate of precipitation and rain, which will result in the recurrence of drought and frost cycles, which will negatively affect agricultural production and lead to serious environmental challenge.  The effect of any climatic factor such as temperature change, drought, salinity, wind, radiation) on living organisms, is a result of environmental, physical and chemical factors.

Dr. Ouda then highlighted the environmental factors affecting the date palm cultivation, the effect of different challenges on the date palm, the date palm’s ability to adapt, and the effect of ultraviolet rays, as well as the importance of the environment surrounding a date palm tree, in addition to the means of facing climate changes.

Dr. Abdulbaset Ouda 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 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 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 for over twenty years.