The General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation announced organisation of the 2nd Ethiopia International Date Palm Festival in partnership with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture. According to a statement from the award, the event is scheduled to run from September 20 to 22 in Semera, the capital of the Afar Region. The festival builds directly on the first edition held last year in the same location, which drew more than 500 participants including researchers and producers from 10 countries. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture data places potential cultivation area at around 500,000 hectares, although current usage stands at only about 6,000 hectares across regions such as Afar, Somali and Oromia.
A Food and Agriculture Organization assessment found that world date production reached 9.74 million tonnes in 2022, with African output exceeding 4.3 million tonnes the following year according to FAOSTAT figures. The Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, established by the UAE in 2009, has supported similar festivals in countries including Jordan, Pakistan and Mauritania through training programmes and research grants. Organisers plan exhibitions of date varieties, scientific symposiums and field visits to connect Ethiopian farmers with international experts focused on market-driven production.
Ambassador Jemal Beker stated that the memorandum of understanding for the festival was signed in early August between the two parties. In his remarks during the virtual signing ceremony, Beker noted that hosting the event will support national efforts to ensure food security and advance the Green Legacy initiative. The award’s secretariat added that the programme will introduce improved technologies, address producer challenges and present latest research findings to scale up Ethiopia’s date palm sector.
Last year’s inaugural festival featured competitions for best dates in local varieties such as Harissa and Boolo, along with awards for top farms and handicraft products, the Ministry of Agriculture reported. Winners received cash prizes, trophies and certificates, while distinguished personalities in Ethiopian date cultivation were also honoured. This year’s edition is expected to expand participation and focus on sustainable practices suited to arid conditions that prevail across much of the country’s lowlands.
The Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation has signed multiple memoranda in recent years to promote date palm development globally, a spokesman for the organisation confirmed. These agreements have facilitated knowledge transfer in tissue culture, genetic innovation and climate-resilient farming methods. Ethiopian officials have emphasised that boosting date palm output could generate foreign exchange, create rural employment and reduce reliance on imports that have historically met domestic demand.
