With the attendance of 75 farmers and experts in the Date Palm cultivation sector,

 and representing 13 countries.

Under the directives of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees, the Award’s General Secretariat resumed the virtual scientific lectures series, for the cultural season, 2021, after the great success achieved in the previous season, 2020. During the 2020 season, 15 lectures were presented within 5 months, hosting 15 experts, representing 9 countries, where the average number of attendees in each lecture was about 90 participants, representing 23 countries from around the world.

The General Secretariat of Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation organized a virtual lecture, presenting “Good Agricultural Practices and mechanism of achieving the “Global Gap” certification”, by Dr. Ramzi Abdul Raheem Abu Ayana, Technical Affairs and Studies Director, The Agricultural Department, at the Saleh Al-Rajhi Endowments, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on Sunday the 24th of January, 2021. The lecture was attended by 75 participants, representing 13 countries, among which are members of the Date Palm Friends Society in the UAE, date palm farmers, and Agricultural experts.

This virtual lecture held via Zoom, comes under the directives of His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, President of the Award’s Board of Trustees, and within the Award’s framework and commitment to spread the scientific knowledge and awareness on the Date Palm Best Practices, and providing technical and scientific advice and support to farmers to help them improve the Dates quality. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, the Award’s Secretary General, expressed his appreciation to the extended scientific and professional efforts made by Dr. Ramzi Abu Ayana in developing the agricultural department at Saleh Al-Rajhi Endowments.

From his side, Dr. Ramzi Abu Ayana, presented the agricultural and economic importance of the date palm farmers obtaining the good agricultural practices certificate (Global Gap), while focusing on four main factors: detailed information about the certificate, the purpose of obtaining it, the certified agencies and its financial cost. “What are the criteria for obtaining the certificate” “(15) criteria and requirements”, “What are the levels of evaluation?” “(3) Levels (mandatory, basic, and recommendations)”. “Is the farm eligible for certification or not?”

Dr. Ramzi, also highlighted the most basic elements that the date palm farmers must take into consideration by answering the below question: How do you evaluate the eligibility of your farm in receiving the certification? This is done through eight basic steps:

1. Farm facilities and its readiness for renovation.
2. Farmers and the availability of health and safety means.
3. The farm’s documents and records, and how it is taken care of.
4. Efficiency of the farm’s equipment and agricultural machinery.
5. Tracking the product and making sure it’s free of contaminants
6. Commitment to the environmental matters.
7. Monitoring and identifying potential risks on the farm, and establishing control and prevention measures.
8. Type of guiding boards used, is one of the requirements to get the certificate.

Dr. Ramzi Abu Ayana then concluded the lecture by highlighting the great role played by the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation in supporting and developing the date palm cultivation sector and the date production worldwide, through the organizing of Jordan International Date Palm Festival, Sudan International Date Palm Festival, and Egypt International Date Palm Festival and the accompanying activities and events. Which actively contributed to the increase of the reputation of the Arab dates and the volume of exports, in addition to the series of international conferences organized by the Award’s General Secretariat for over Twenty years.