UAE Ministry of Environment and Water announces new phase of Nakheelna initiative

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water, MoEW, has begun a new phase of the ‘Nakheelna' initiative where it aims to propagate disease-free date palm trees to boost their productivity as well as improve the quality of services provided to palm cultivators in the country.

Sultan bin Alwan Al Habsi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Region sector, MoEW, said, "The new phase of the Nakheelna initiative, for which we have developed the necessary standards and technical specifications, will continue until the end of 2017. The programme aims to find complete solutions for UAE farmers to help them boost the economic output of palm farming and increase date production to support the associated industries and contribute to the country's GDP. It will not only enhance food security but will also diversify income by improving the quality of products while maintaining the UAE's leading position in the date palm industry."

The Assistant Under-Secretary explained that during this phase, the ministry will utilise the latest technologies to control date palm tree pests and diseases without effecting the environment by providing agricultural extension services and building capacity for farmers and other individuals working in the sector. It will also adopt using electronic services to receive registered farmers' services request and complaints, as well as use an electronic job report to secure farmers' data along with the issues reported and will respond to them within 48 hours.

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water launched the Nakheelna initiative in 2012. The ongoing second phase focuses on controlling Red Palm Weevil and all other pests that affect date palm tree agriculture on a national scale.