The Afar region of Ethiopia has taken center stage as a promising hub for date farming, hosting the International Dates Festival, which brought together representatives from leading date-producing nations, including the UAE, Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey.
The festival, held under the theme of fostering agricultural innovation and collaboration, highlighted Afar’s vast land and water resources, positioning the region as a key player in advancing food security and agro-industrial development in Africa.
Participants engaged in the Green Footprint Program, planting date seedlings to promote sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation.
The initiative showcased Afar’s suitability for date cultivation, with its favorable climate and abundant natural resources, including access to water from sources like Lake Afambo, which attendees visited alongside local date farms.
The festival also facilitated knowledge exchange on date farming techniques, problem-solving, and care, fostering partnerships to enhance production and market access.
As reported by the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, the event underscored opportunities for integrating agriculture with agro-industry, with the Afar regional government committing to prioritize this linkage.
The Agriculture and Natural Resources Development Bureau, led by Engineer Yasin Ali, emphasized plans to develop infrastructure and partnerships to support date processing and other value-added agricultural products.
Visitors from participating countries expressed optimism about collaborating with Afar to tap into its agricultural potential, particularly in the agro-industrial sector.
The warm hospitality and well-organized reception in Afar left a lasting impression on attendees, who toured local date farms and witnessed the region’s capacity to contribute to Africa’s food security.
The festival opened doors for international cooperation, with participants exploring investment opportunities in date production and processing, aiming to create jobs and boost economic growth in the region.
As Afar positions itself as a leader in date farming, the International Dates Festival marks a significant step toward sustainable agricultural development, leveraging Ethiopia’s natural resources to drive innovation and economic resilience across the continent.
