Project of Service Process Development of Date Palm Tree Orchards

“Service Process Development of Vertical and Horizontal Date Palm tree Orchards to Increase Production and Improve Quality in the Arab Region”

Objectives: The project aims to improve the economic revenue of date palm trees by increasing production, improving fruit quality, raising the marketing and storing capacities, conserving superior seed lines and enhancing the research, development and extension capacities of national institutions.

Justification: In spite of the fact that most of the Arab region’s area is suitable for palm tree cultivation and date production, however, this cultivation suffers from negligence and poor service processes causing low production and bad fruit quality. The numbers of date palm trees in the Arab World in general, and the main production countries in particular, have decreased due to several reasons like: farmers’ migration to cities, desertification, climate changes and lack of expertise in sound service processes. This has generated the necessity of improving palm tree orchard processes, intensifying agricultural extension, opening internal and external marketing outlets, processing product surplus and controlling insects and diseases that infect the trees and fruits.

Participating countries: Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and Mauritania.

Duration: Four extendible years (8/2015-8/2019).

Funded by: The Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD).

Project management: The project activities are monitored through a committee consisting of representatives of ACSAD, the ministry of agriculture in the concerned Arab country, the concerned local administration and beneficiaries.

Project activities: The project is implemented by selecting two typical fields of date palm trees in the target area, in a way that suits performing the field and participatory activities between ACSAD and the ministry of Agriculture in the concerned country, collecting data and information on date palm trees, carrying out studies on date palm trees and conducting annual training courses and field days in the fields of horticulture, integrated pest management and post-harvesting processes.