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Al Ain, Liwa date palm oases get UN recognition

The FAO recognition, for which the Abu Dhabi government had applied for last year, was granted as a result of the emirate implementing an “active and dynamic conservation programme”.

Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed receives a gift from José Graziano da Silva during the Khalifa International Date Palm Award ceremony in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. — KT photo by Nezar Balout

Abu Dhabi – The United Nation’s Food Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has recognised Al Ain and Liwa oases in Abu Dhabi as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) sites.

José Graziano da Silva, FAO director-general, came to Abu Dhabi personally to hand over the recognition certificate to Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; and Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and president of Khalifa International Date Palm Award’s (Kidpa) Board of Trustees, during the Kidpa ceremony on Sunday.

“There are 13 countries with recognised GIAHS sites around the world, and today we recognise the date palm systems of the United Arab Emirates,” said da Silva.

“For many Arab countries, date palms are much more than simply food. They are an integral part of your history and cultural identity. Advancing towards the future while preserving your roots is not always an easy task, but the UAE has been able to do that with its sustainable date palm production,” he said.

GIAHS sites are land use systems and landscapes, which are rich in biodiversity and evolve around the relationship between communities and their land, a relationship that is protective of those lands and support sustainable development.

“The Al Ain and Liwa date palm systems are excellent examples of this relationship,” said da Silvia.

“They are home to ancient falaj irrigation systems that teach us valuable lessons on how to cope with water scarcity that can be of great use as we work for sustainable development in the face of climate change,” he added.

The FAO recognition, for which the Abu Dhabi government had applied for last year, was granted as a result of the emirate implementing an “active and dynamic conservation programme”, seeking to revitalise the oases through a variety of measures, such as protection against urban encroachment, restoration of falaj irrigation systems and re-introduction of traditional agricultural management.

“These efforts preserve knowledge transmitted through generations and ensure that ... date palms continue to mean food security for the United Arab Emirates,” stressed da Silvia.

Dates have sustained life in the oasis of Abu Dhabi for 3,000 years. With agriculture representing no more than 0.2 per cent of UAE’s GDP and with food imports summing up to 95 percent, dates no longer represent the fruit of survival, but they have become a national symbol and a key heritage element of the country.

Kidpa winners

During Sunday’s award ceremony for Kidpa 2015 winners, whose names were announced last month, Shaikh Nahyan spoke of a success story so far and pledged to keep the award on track.

The honoured winners in the five categories are: Dr Michael Purugganan, New York University-Abu Dhabi (winner of the Distinguished Researches and Studies category); and Oman’s Sultan Gardens and Farms Affairs (second winner; the date palm research unit of the UAE University (first winner of the Distinguished Producers category (second place was withheld); Dr. Muhei Eddin Suleiman, Saudi Arabia (first winner of the Best Technology category) and Dr Mohammed Rizk Annan, UAE University, (second winner; Dr. Nasr Al Jaghoub and Ahmed Fares Zaki, Palestine (first winner of the Best Developmental Project) and Coachella Valley History Museum of Date Palm, USA (second winner; and Prof José Romero Faleiro, India (winner of the Distinguished Personality).

Each winner receives Dh300,000 and the runner-up will get a cheque for Dh200,000. -silvia@khaleejtimes.com