Ethiopia will host the inaugural International Date Palm Festival in August 2025 following a partnership agreement signed between the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and the UAE’s Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation.
The three-day festival, scheduled for August 26-28, 2025, aims to boost Ethiopia’s date palm sector through technology transfer and international collaboration. “This festival will position Ethiopia as a hub for date palm innovation in Africa,” said Dr. Efa Mulata, Ethiopia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture, during the signing ceremony in Abu Dhabi.
The agreement was formalized at an awards gala attended by Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Khalifa Award board, along with agriculture ministers from several nations. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary-General of the Khalifa Award, stated the event would “showcase solutions to production challenges while connecting Ethiopian farmers with global experts.”
The Khalifa International Award, established by the UAE government in 2009, has supported date palm cultivation worldwide through training programs and research funding. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture confirmed planning committees would begin meeting next month to finalize event details, including participating countries and demonstration sites.
“This partnership reflects our commitment to modernizing Ethiopia’s agricultural sector,” Dr. Mulata added, noting the festival would introduce improved date palm varieties and cultivation techniques to local farmers.
The Ministry said further details would be released as preparations advance for what will be Africa’s first major international date palm event.
