SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Zayed for Good Foundation and the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, affiliates of Erth Zayed Philanthropies Foundation - UAE Presidential Court, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), have launched the Digital Platform for UAE Date Palm Varieties - a smart database documenting more than 130 varieties found across the country.
Announced at a press conference on Monday, the project brings together thousands of images and digital records in what organisers described as the first platform of its kind in the region. It is intended to serve as a national reference for researchers, farmers and policymakers, while also preserving an important part of the UAE's agricultural heritage.
The press conference was attended by Dr Abdelouahhab Alboukhari Zaid, Award's Secretary-General, Muhanna Obaid Al Muhairi, Deputy Director-General of the Zayed for Good Foundation and Mubarak Ali Al Qusaili Al Mansoori, CEO at ADAFSA.
Dr Zaid said that the platform marks a new stage in agricultural knowledge management by combining scientific documentation with artificial intelligence. He explained that it goes beyond a conventional database, offering an integrated system that can support research and innovation, guide decision-making and help preserve local date palm varieties.
Al Muhairi said that the initiative reflects the legacy of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his longstanding commitment to sustainability and the relationship between people and the environment. The project is also designed to support the agricultural community and strengthen knowledge exchange in the UAE and beyond, he added.
Al Mansoori said that the platform will support a more data-led agricultural system, adding that its analytical tools can help address issues such as climate change, pest outbreaks, and natural resource management, while also contributing to food security.
Locally-developed System with Global Ambitions
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the press conference, Dr Zaid said that the platform, developed by UAE teams, had been trained to read visual and descriptive markers, helping users identify date varieties even when they do not know their names.
"Colour, texture, fruit shapes and fruit characteristics are all introduced in the system," he explained.
According to Dr Zaid, the platform provides detailed, up-to-date information on each variety, including its physical characteristics, development stage, productivity, nutritional value and economic uses. The data has been drawn from government bodies, research institutions and farmers, creating one of the most extensive digital records of Emirati date palms assembled so far.
He described the initiative as a continuation of "the organigram established by the late Sheikh Zayed" and his vision for agriculture and the date sector, adding that the UAE is the only country in the world using AI in this field.
"This digital platform is the first one in the region. And I can proudly say that this will be the first one at the international level too," Dr Zaid said.
The release marks the first phase of a larger project, with further development currently underway ahead of a full rollout expected in early September. The longer-term aim, he explained, is to expand the platform beyond the UAE and build a unified regional and international database of date palm varieties.
Al Muhairi told Aletihad that the system had been designed with inclusivity in mind, serving "all segments and generations while positioning itself as a global platform emerging from the UAE".
He added that the initial focus is on documenting "the largest possible number of date varieties in the UAE" before widening the scope to neighbouring countries and other parts of the world.