Reviving Bahrain’s million palms

No matter where you look, there will be a palm tree in sight in Bahrain. It was so magical that people of yore called it “the land of a million palm trees”. Yes, Bahrain, as all history books could reveal, was once a tropical paradise of great natural resources. Since ancient times, Kingdom’s verdant groves of date palms were a source of natural resources for the region.

References to date palm can be found in the Sumerian myth ‘Enki and Ninhursag’ which tells the story of the beginning of the world in the garden of paradise known as Dilmun, blessed with springs. Legend even has it that it was not the apple, but date palm was that tree of knowledge of good and evil, and that date was the fruit Eve so generously offered to Adam in the garden of Eden. An interesting tale, but maybe debatable for many. But all those are things of the past now.

Springs are gone, and the groves are fast disappearing. Revolutionary changes accompanied by the discovery of oil have reduced the interest of many in date palm cultivation, which also decided the fate of springs too. But, as they say, it’s a gift that cannot be pushed into oblivion in Bahrain that easily.

Take a look around, into the deserts surrounding the Kingdom, you will understand why. Thanks to all those surviving greeneries still here, Bahrain, as travellers say, is an oasis charming and refreshing to eyes. This gift, as advocates of Bahrain’s verdant past says, requires a bit more care. More than ever, now, we have yet another reason to do it afresh in the form of UNESCO recognition.

UNESCO recognition

By recognising the tree, which has its roots penetrated deep into the history of Kingdom, as precious to mankind, UNESCO has given Bahrain, its GCC and Arab neighbours, a new vigour to work for its revival. The recognition follows a nomination put forward by 14 countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The nomination reads: “Date palms gather in oases of different densities within desert areas indicating the presence of water levels suitable for irrigation. As a result, this aided mankind in settling down despite harsh conditions.”

“Historical research and various antiquities excavations have resulted in the plant’s significant cultural and economic status in numerous regions such as Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt and the Arab Gulf,” reads Bahrain’s submission to UNESCO.

Bahrain, in ancient times, because of its strategic location, served as a stop-over for traders travelling between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilisation to acquire freshwater and dates for expeditions.

Lost in antiquity

Being, probably, the most ancient cultivated tree in the world, date palms had for centuries played a crucial role in the establishment and growth of civilisations in the hot and dry regions of the Arab world. Though its exact origin has been lost in antiquity, pieces of evidence say around 4000BC date palms were used for the construction of the moon god temple near Ur in Southern Iraq.

Historical documents also point to the usage of dates for medicinal purposes and its food value in times of Sumerians, Akkadians and Babylonians. The modern world is not different. Until this day, platters of dates adorn tables in homes and businesses across the Arab world, where the symbol of the date palm tree has historically presented prosperity.

In fact, all parts of the date palm are still being used in some parts of the region for shelter or to produce a range of products, including handicrafts, mats, rope and furniture. History books say there existed a construction technique known as Barusti, where the leaves of dates used for constructing traditional houses in the Kingdom.

However, reports online say that Bahrain now has fewer palms than it had years ago. According to a data published by ‘Date Palm Status and Perspective in Bahrain’, there were 534,600 date palms here in 2015, which was a decline from 892,000 trees. This scenario, according to the report, is despite having several mechanisms in place to fight the challenges including gene banks, in vitro facilities, quarantine regulations and legislations.

A big responsibility

Affecting adversely are socioeconomic changes, climate, freshwater scarcity, alien pests as well as the salinisation of agricultural lands. Average annual production is at around 16,000 megatonnes with a yield range of 50 to 150 kg per tree. To overcome freshwater scarcity, the Kingdom, the report states, has set up a wastewater recycling mechanism for irrigation purposes, where Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) is being employed for agricultural and landscaping sectors.

‘Red palm weevil’, which is barely a few centimetres long, is one of the modern-day pests that is affecting date palm cultivation. Interestingly, despite all these adversities, Bahrainis haven’t lost their strong liking for this heavenly fruit. The Kingdom is also well known for its customary and refreshing drink extracted from the male spathes and pollen, yet the groves are suffering.

Market demands are often met by importing dates from various producing countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Often pointed out by experts to change the current scenario is improving the sector by instilling a ‘radical shift’.

Radical shift

Experts are calling for “a radical shift from the traditional cultivation, harvesting and post-harvesting methods towards new practical and well-designed alternatives which can reduce economic, social and environmental costs.” “It is a big responsibility,” as a Bahraini farmer was quoted a few years ago in an article on the palm trees in the Kingdom.

Speaking about the market condition and his grove, he emotionally said: “I got it from my father, it has belonged to us for eighty years. What will you do if you have a son that for some reason cost you money and makes you tired, what will you do?” “You can’t just turn your back, this land is what my father left for me and it’s a big responsibility,” Haji Habib, a farmer in the village of Buri told your Middle East in an interview published back in 2012.

Long-time back, but his words are still relevant. New data says that the total number of date palms in the world as about 100 million, producing between 2.5 to 4m tonnes of fruit per year in around 30 countries. Region-wise, Asia enjoys the first position with 60m date palms, which includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Yemen, etc.