Training opportunities in Bahrain's agriculture sector will be the focus of a popular exhibition opening next week.

The annual Bahrain International Garden Show (BIGS) is expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors when it officially opens on February 25 and will run till March 1, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It is being held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad, with support of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty and National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) president.

NIAD secretary-general Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa said the expo will be open to the public for four days this year due to popular demand.

“The show will go on for four days this year because people asked us to make it longer,” she said yesterday.

“Due to the technological and economic developments, as well as urban expansion, it has become necessary to develop agricultural expertise. It will help to keep pace with this development, in line with the future of the agricultural sector and its sustainability and prosperity.

“BIGS is being held this year under the slogan Agricultural Training for Sustainable Harvest.

“The focus will be on education and training opportunities for those who are interested.

“In addition to displaying the available agricultural programmes of several interested parties in this sector, it will showcase latest agricultural techniques and tools that can contribute to enhancing productivity, reducing costs and achieving environmental sustainability.”

The expo is being organised by NIAD in collaboration with United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and Tamkeen.

More than 145 organisations are set to take part this year displaying designs, products and technologies over a 7,100-sq-m area.

They represent a number of countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Netherlands, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Congo, Jordan, Lebanon and Taiwan.

Shaikha Maram said, during a Press conference at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Sanabis, that Tamkeen was supporting at least 15 local participants.

“The theme stand this year will include eight local and regional providers of agricultural training,” she explained.

“It will include the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture in addition to other participants like the Arabian Gulf University, Bahrain Training Institute, Bahraini Society of Agricultural Engineers, Khair Association, Al Rahma Centre and the Agriculture Centre for Vocational Training.

“Both the Al Rahma Centre and the Agriculture Centre for Vocational Training offer training to those with special needs, so we're honoured to host them and highlight the work they're doing.”

Meanwhile, Unido head Dr Hashim Hussain said their pavilion would consist of 15 Bahraini agropreneurs trained by the Agriculture Directorate, in addition to 30 international ones.

He added that the show would be used as a blueprint for a similar project in Ivory Coast.

“As a testament to how successful BIGS is, we have been asked to reproduce a similar show in Africa,” he said.

“The Islamic Development Bank is impressed by the platform here and wants to hold a similar one there, based in the Ivory Coast.

“We would be using the BIGS blueprint and thinking about how to transfer everything so it works there.

“We want to have the same shape and activity, the mix between local and international pavilions, as well as NGOs, government and private institutions.

“We hope that it will be ready by next year.”

Bahrain Garden Club chairperson Zahra Abdulmalik said the club was celebrating its 50th anniversary and would include several surprises at its pavilion, which will include the annual Flower and Vegetable Competition. - TradeArabia News Service