A scientific symposium at ACSAD for Date Palm tree pollination techniques.
At the patronage of his Excellency, the Director-General of the Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Drylands, Dr. Nasr Edin Obaid, the Organization held a scientific symposium on “Palm Tree Pollination Techniques and the impact of climate change on it.” More than 100 experts from the ministries of Agriculture and Environment in the Arab countries; specialized in this field regarding the importance of this Symposium’s title, were participated with the Association of Agricultural Research institution in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA), The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and the Arab Agricultural Engineers Union with its branches in the Arab countries.
His Excellency, the General- Director of ACSAD, Dr. Nasr Edin Obaid, confirmed in a speech at the beginning of the Symposium that the Organization of the Arab Center (ACSAD) seeks today, in cooperating with the ministries of Agriculture and Environment, Universities, Syndicates of Arab agricultural engineers, and various specialized authorities to implement scientific research and development projects, events, and activities, workshops, and training courses in different fields of Date palm sector; aiming at to upgrade the reality of Palm tree in the Arab region in believing of the importance of this blessed tree as well as it is the desert tree and the title of plant cover in dry areas.
He pointed out that this turnout’s participation from all the Arab countries` experts in this vital and important topic was proof of the Palm tree’s great importance in the Arab region, affirming that ACSAD is committed to achieving the objectives of the Symposium, the most important of which is the exchange of available information on the axes contained therein. And coordinating among all the operated parties in this field, developing an integrated plan to prompt more research, and organized outreach work in the palm sector’s different areas in the Arabian region.
His Excellency, the Director-General, gave a comprehensive presentation on the achievements of ACSAD since its establishment and its implementation of several important development programs and projects, which have resulted in significant economic benefits for Arab agriculture in both quantitative and qualitative terms.
The Symposium, which was held on 22 February 2021, through visual communication technology, focused on several axes, including the characteristics and selection methods of palm male tree, the impact of climate change on palm tree pollination efficiency, palm tree pollination methods, and technologies, and the impact of Metaxenia on Dates` characteristics.
The specialized experts presented high-level scientific presentations included field and applied information. The participants had activated with many interventions, one of which was Mrs. Sofia Twadi’s, the Phytosanitary Official of the Algerian Ministry of Agriculture, who praised ACSAD’s efforts in raising the important issues at the appropriate time, and Dr. Essam Metwally’s intervention from the Arab Republic of Egypt about Al- Shies phenomena in Al- Barhi’s type and other many interventions.
Finally, participants in the Symposium reached many results, the most important of which were the promotion of palm male tree cultivation with increasing cultivation areas of with diverse varieties, the conduct of further scientific research to study the phenomenon of “failed pollination” in the type of Al Barhi, and the promotion of the seedlings production by tissue cultivation of the best date palms with specifications.
