Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a significant agreement in Abu Dhabi to boost agricultural innovation and provide technological support to Pakistan to help increase date palm cultivation in the country.
The UAE Embassy in Pakistan shared the details of the agreement signed in Abu Dhabi on February 26, 2024.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, and General Secretary of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, Dr Abdelouahab Zaid, signed the MoU. The signing ceremony was attended by the UAE Minister for Tolerance and Co-existence, Shaikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan.
“The MoU will help promote joint cooperation and sharing of expertise between the two sides,” according to Faisal Tirmizi. The partnership will also provide “an opportunity for Pakistani farmers to increase cultivation of date palm including through innovative ideas.”
How date palm collaboration would help Pakistani farmers?
This collaboration is poised to facilitate cooperation and knowledge exchange between Pakistan and the UAE. Through this partnership, Pakistani farmers will gain access to valuable expertise and innovative methodologies, opening doors for expanded date palm cultivation.
Being one of the pioneers in this sector, the UAE would offer technological support to Pakistan, leveraging the country’s diverse topography to unlock the full potential of date palm cultivation.
The UAE is already assisting Pakistan in dates processing. UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme (PAP) has invested US$6.36 million to set up a dates processing plant at Panjgur, Balochistan. The plant started commercial production in April 2022.
In line with the MOU, the first Pakistan International Date Palm Festival 2024 is on the horizon, promising a platform for showcasing advancements and fostering further collaboration in this field.
The UAE is Pakistan’s third-largest trading partner, after China and the United States.