Sustainable agriculture will be the focus of Bahrain's biggest flower, lifestyle and garden show when it returns for its 11th edition next year.

Bahrain International Garden Show (BIGS) is set to take place at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC) from February 25 to March 1, under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Open from 10am to 9pm, with an extra day in the schedule this time around, BIGS general co-ordinator Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa expects the show to be one of the biggest and best yet.

“We have increased the number of days in the show from three to four,” she said at a media briefing held at the BIECC yesterday (September 29).

“With the extra day we hope to have more visitors and more people enjoying the show.”

The theme for the upcoming show is 'Agricultural Training for Sustainable Harvest' and it will focus on helping Bahrain's farmers get higher crop yields from fewer resources, Shaikha Maram said.

“We're also going to target students, as we want them to know what a career in agriculture is all about and what different fields they can take on in agriculture - including landscaping, production or even in laboratories testing for food safety and quality,” she said.

“We encourage businesses to approach us to take part in the show.

“Agriculture is a niche area and this is an opportunity to put yourself forward for a highly-anticipated event.”

More than 16,500 people visited the last edition of BIGS, which is organised by National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) in co-operation with Tamkeen and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido).

“One of the most important organisations that have been continuously supportive of BIGS is Unido,” said Shaikha Maram.

“They look after small and medium enterprises and in our show they host a number of organisations in Bahrain that they directly support, a good number from the region and sometimes even from abroad.

“Tamkeen is also extremely supportive, giving a number of companies the ability to expand and promote themselves in BIGS.”

NIAD works closely with other government bodies to improve public gardens and roads and increase the amount of greenery in Bahrain, she added.

“Over the last 12 years, since Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa set up BIGS and in 2010 launched NIAD, you can see the difference,” she said.

“You see the greenery on the roads and you see new initiatives - even if it is not measurable, it is visible.”

Meanwhile, Bahrain Garden Club chairwoman Zahra Abdulmalik described the annual amateur flower and vegetable competition that they help to organise as a 'cornerstone' of the show.

“We want to emphasise to people who have an interest in and love gardening, agriculture and the environment that they can make it their business or career,” she said.

“From now until the end of the year we will be focusing on training for our members and affiliated government and private schools.” - TradeArabia News Service