A NEW filling and packaging station for local agricultural products, and an agricultural hereditary resources bank are amongst many futuristic plans to increase greenery and crop output in Bahrain.
Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak said, in a written response to a question by Shura Council member Dr Hani Al Saati on green plans, that the ministry was encouraging investments in agriculture through new “AGI” (agriculture investment) plot classifications.
The minister added that new hydroponic gardening investments have also been authorised in properties that are not farms or classified for agricultural operations.
“We are leasing out agricultural government plots to investors to carry out their projects under partnership deals, with us so far giving plots to 19 local farmers and seven companies in Howrat A’ali,” said Mr Al Mubarak.
“A new filling and packaging station will be introduced to ensure that fresh produce remains ripe, in good shape and doesn’t rot, as we lower product loss that is unfit for consumption or use.
“The ministry is also marketing local produce and major chain super and hypermarkets are buying in bulk quantities to meet the demand.”
The minister said that work is ongoing to connect treated water to all licensed farms across the country.
“We are in the process of tendering the new agricultural hereditary resources bank.”
Mr Al Mubarak said that all agricultural and resources legislations were being reviewed for possible updates that would help improve the sector in co-ordination with MPs and Shura Council members, alongside Bahrain’s three municipal councils and the Capital Trustees Board.
“We are also working with the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (Icarda) to reduce drought-like conditions and desertification,” the minister added.
“The first phase of hydroponic gardening is in Duraz and Howrat A’ali, and will be followed by the second phase in Samaheej and Adhari covering 3.3 hectares as we expand on our successful results.
“Icarda, the ministry, the Arabian Gulf University and Bahrain Polytechnic and private firms are working together on new agricultural technologies and between 2016 and 2022, as the ministry provided training to 831 farmers.”
He said a blueprint for higher palm trees production was being drawn up.
“We have already started using solar energy to dry the dates, which has helped reduce costs on farmers.
“There are plans to introduce investments in palm trees extracts and derivatives in future.
“There are specialised training courses for those in the palm tree sector and we are keen on taking the sector to a much higher level than it is in currently now.”
The Shura Council members will be notified of the minister’s response during the chamber’s weekly session on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the members are also set to vote on two royal decrees for loans from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) for the second development phase of Al Dur Power and Water Plant.
The IDB loan is for $80 million while $41m is being sought from the ADFD.
The loan requests were already approved by MPs in March this year.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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