Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Praised The Leading Role Of The International Center For Agriculture (ICBA)

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, praised the leading role of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in the United Arab Emirates in promoting the use of saline water resources to produce fodder crops and fruit trees such as date palm trees. The work of ICBA leads to reducing the pressure on the depleting fresh water resources. His Highness Sheikh Mansour received a copy of the book of “Salt Tolerant Plants in the United Arab Emirates” from Dr. Ahmed Abdul Ghaffar Al Sharif, Deputy Director General of ICBA.

This came during the visit of His Highness to ICBA’s pavilion at the Liwa Date Festival, which took place from 18-25 July 2013. Dr. Al Sharif stressed on ICBA’s keenness on participating in Liwa Date Festival; he says that this event is very important in attracting date palm farmers from various countries to a fair competition, which highlights the finest worldwide famous Emirati dates. It is a true regional and international event attracting the various stakeholders in the date industry from all over the region. Dr. Ahmed Al Sharif added that he was particularly pleased this year with the visit of H.H. Sheikh Mansour to the festival. This visit confirms the keenness of state officials, lead by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on maintaining the course set by the founder of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, which pays a special attention to the date palm. This national direction has made of the UAE one of the current world leading date producers. 

Dr. Al Sharif added that the book “Salt Tolerant Plants of the United Arab Emirates”, which ICBA has published recently in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, is an important scientific reference on plants that will be at the basis of agriculture in the future. This shift to salt tolerant plants will lead to reducing the usage of traditional fresh water consuming plants, especially forage plants. Dr. Al Sharif concluded by saying that it is a great honor for ICBA to share a copy of this book with H.H. Sheikh Mansour.

Dr. Al Sharif expressed his sincere gratitude to the great work accomplished by the organizers and the management of the Liwa Date Festival, which in its 9th version this year was even of greater success that the later. He wished them lasting prosperity for years to come.