Manama, August 1 (BNA): The fifth Palm Tree Festival was inaugurated today, Thursday, at the permanent Farmers Market in Hoorat A’ali, and will run until Saturday.
The opening ceremony was attended by Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture; Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Secretary General of the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD); Dalal Ahmed Al Qais, CEO of Bahrain Development Bank Group (BDB); the CEO of Tamkeen, along with numerous farmers, agricultural companies, artisans, and productive families.
The festival features a variety of palm products, including fresh dates and other related items, as well as a small exhibition of traditional Bahraini crafts, showcasing the lifestyle of past generations.
The Municipalities Minister emphasised the significance of palm cultivation in the Bahraini culture, noting its role in supporting environmental sustainability and sustainable agricultural development.
He highlighted that palm and date processing industries are crucial for enhancing national agricultural products, diversifying income sources, and contributing to food security.
The Minister mentioned the Ministry’s efforts to develop the agricultural sector and promote sustainable palm cultivation. These efforts include preserving agricultural heritage, establishing genetic collections of local palm varieties for evaluation and preservation, implementing modern agricultural technologies, preparing an atlas of important date palm varieties in GCC countries, and conducting necessary studies related to palm trees.
The Secretary General of NIAD commended the support from His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, follow-up by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, and the directives of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King, for their efforts in preserving palm trees as part of Bahrain’s cultural heritage. She thanked the Bahrain Development Bank for organising the festival and expressed her appreciation for the variety and quality of the displayed products and the wealth of expertise and information available about palm cultivation.
The CEO of BDB thanked NIAD, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, Tamkeen, BDB, and the Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC) for their collaborative efforts in making the festival a success. She highlighted that the festival provides an ideal platform for farmers and productive families to showcase their products, interact with the public, and raise awareness about the importance of palm cultivation. The bank aims to support the agricultural sector through various financial services and facilities, enhancing its contribution to the local economy.
The festival is organised by the Farmers Market management under the BDB Group, in collaboration with NIAD, the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, and with support from Tamkeen, the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), and GPIC.
The event aims to encourage and support local production of palm products, reinforce Bahraini agricultural identity, and celebrate it. Additionally, it seeks to support Bahraini farmers by providing them with opportunities to promote their products to the public and increase their sales and investments.
M.A.
