Production Systems of Field and Forage Crops in the UAE

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW), in collaboration with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), organized a specialized training on “Production Systems of Field and Forage Crops in the UAE” on 22-24 December 2013, at the ICBA campus in Dubai. This was the eighth and final training course done with the Ministry in 2013.

Eleven extension staff of the Ministry participated in the course which focused on providing participants with knowledge related to production systems of most important field and forage crops in the UAE with emphasis on the utilization and production systems of salt-tolerant crops.

Participants finished the training with a better knowledge and understanding on the importance of salt-tolerant crops and forages that can replace traditional crops and put less pressure on fresh water resources.

In his closing remarks, Dr Ahmed Al Sharif, Deputy Director General of ICBA, noted that since ICBAs establishment, the Center has done research and studies focused on the production of forage and field crops using saline water in the UAE and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa in order to provide fresh water for future generations. Dr. Al Sharif invited the participants to be the ambassadors of ICBA to farmers in UAE and work together in order to rationalize the consumption of fresh water by using saline water and selecting alternatives and appropriate plants for marginal and dry environments.

In the end I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Environment and Water for giving ICBA the confidence and the opportunity to contribute in the development of the national cadres in UAE. I thank you all for attending this training course and I hope you will keep in touch with the experts of the center to send your inquiries about the various areas in which we're working on and share your experience with us in order to work together to achieve the development goals of the United Arab Emirates. 

Dr Al Sharif thanked the MOEW for the strong partnership and collaboration with ICBA on various training courses. He congratulated all of the participants and extended his thanks to the ICBA scientists who provided and delivered the course content: Dr. Shoaib Ismail, Dr. N.K. Rao, Dr. Abdullah AlShankiki, Dr. Shabbir Shahid, Dr. Makram Belhaj Fraj, Dr. Ian McCann and Dr. Berhanu Degefa.