UAE- Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announces award proclamation date

ABU DHABI 14th February 2016 (WAM) -- The General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced today the proclamation date of the Award concerned with agricultural innovation and date palm sector after a Federal Decree was issued by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for its establishment and the defining of its categories and objectives.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by the General Secretariat of the Award at the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi and attended by Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid Secretary-General of the Award Dr. Hilal Hameed Al Kaabi Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award media representatives and a number of researchers and those interested in the agricultural sector.

Speaking on the occasion Prof. Zaid paid tributes to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the growth witnessed by the agricultural sector since his era thanking his wise vision which changed the desert into a green paradise after harnessing all resources and overcoming all obstacles and applying the latest techniques and technologies.

He emphasised that UAE's wise leadership under President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has followed the trail of the late Sheikh Zayed and rendered the agricultural sector special attention and great care developing this sector and achieving a new qualitative leap.

He also pointed out that the Award has achieved great accomplishments over the course of seven years after having attracted the most important researchers experts growers and those interested in the date palm sector and has been able to occupy a globally prominent position as the first scientific award specialised in date palm and its industries at the world level.

He stressed that such accomplishments have been achieved due to the kind patronage of the Award's sponsor President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as the attention of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the directives of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and President of the Award's Board of Trustees.

He explained that proclamation of the Award will be announced during a special ceremony to be held at the Emirates Palace Hotel on March 15th.

Prof. Abdelouahhab Zaid also stressed that the constant support and attention of Ministry of Presidential Affairs based on the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs would give the Award the incentive to innovate and work very hard to harness all resources for upgrading the date palm tree for the UAE to maintain its globally leading role in this area.

He pointed out that based on transparency and fairness principles and within the strategy of the new award the General Secretariat of the Award has decided to shift all the received nomination files of the old award to the first session for 2017 of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and within the applicable new conditions and criteria.

Dr. Hilal Al Kaabi Chairman of the Administrative and Financial Committee of the Award said that the honour of establishment of the new award by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is an emphasis of His Highness' interest in and patronage of this sector and his keenness to develop it in terms of research and study and improvement of production.

He also referred to the accomplishments the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm has achieved so far explaining that 1000 candidates participated in the previous seven sessions representing 39 countries from around the world. "Such figures stress the great development the Award has realised and its widespread appreciation" Al Kaabi said and added "As the new award is being launched we are confident that it would be met by great popularity and broad participation."

He said that the Board of Trustees of the Award will also approve during its next meeting on 15th March 2016 the scientific Jury of the Award which will include eminent scientists and experts in the fields of innovation in the agricultural sector and cultivation of date palms. These scientists and experts will unanimously decide the winner in each category of the Award.