International Garden Show gets underway
Manama : The Bahrain International Garden Show got underway at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Center here yesterday. The show was inaugurated by HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of the King of Bahrain and President of the Consultative Council for the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD).
Being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa with the continued support of HRH Princess Sabeeka, the show is organised by NIAD under the banner of ‘Food Safety and Human Health.’
HRH Princess Sabeeka lauded the royal support for the agricultural sector and programmes that aimed at encouraging the private sector’s contributions to increase the local agricultural production, promoting the national economy.
Princess Sabeeka recalled the efforts made to develop agriculture sector, chiefly the Bahrain International Garden Show, which was launched in the 1950s as a national event to support Bahrain’s interest in protecting the environment to meet food security requirements. She called for providing high-quality agricultural products and avoiding agricultural practices that could affect people’s health.
This year’s show sheds light on the sound agricultural practices and exhibits the latest technologies related to agricultural production processes and irrigation of crops to ensure their quality and safety.
HRH Princess Sabeeka honoured the winners of Bahrain Garden Club contest - HM the King Cup in the garden category, the late Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa Cup in the flowers category, HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Cup in the professional and amateur photographers category, Shaikha Haya bint Mohammed Al Khalifa Cup in the exotic and rare plants category, in addition to the winner of best environmental garden.
HRH Princess Sabeeka toured the show that comprised products of more than 155 exhibitors of public institutions and civil society organisations, agricultural nurseries, as well as international companies specialized in agricultural area, including USA, France, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Greece, UK, Japan, India, China, Indonesia, Turkey and Mali, in addition to regional and Arab countries, KSA, UAE, Morocco, Jordan and Syria.
The Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority also participated in the BIGS for the first time to introduce its services to raise the public awareness of food safety. The Abu Dhabi Farmers Service Center participated in the show to introduce its expertise in the field of agricultural pest control and the good post-harvest practices.
Fourteen Bahraini farmers have been selected randomly to participate in the BIGS to encourage local farmers, support their products and introduce them to new marketing outlets.
Specialized courses on the good food production will be staged by NIAD in collaboration with four Greek companies specialized in organic food production, such as natural olive oil, honey, herbs. The courses aim to introduce the latest production methods and to establish new Bahraini-Greek partnerships.
The BIGS is organized by NIAD and sponsored by Bahrain World Trade Center, Al Salam Bank, Kuwait Finance House (KFH), Viva Bahrain Telecommunications Company, Aluminum Bahrain (Alba), Bahrain National Gas Company (BNGAS), Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.
The Bahrain International Garden Show is dedicated to developing the future of agriculture in the Kingdom and is considered one of the leading agricultural exhibitions in the region. It presents an integrated platform for exchanging experiences, reviewing the latest developments, technologies and innovations in the agricultural field, as well as creating opportunities for new trade partnerships between local and international institutions. All of this contributes to developing knowledge and skills of those interested in this sector; such as visitors and participants, from Bahrain and abroad. The show will conclude on February 25.
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