Best research
Winner: Dr Mohammed Ali Mubarik Al Farisi from the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, for Enrichment of date paste.
Runner up: Dr Moulay Hassan Sedra from the National Institute for Agronomic Research, Morocco, for a project on the selection of molecular markers for genetic diversity analysis, cultivar genotyping, early sex detection and rapid screening for Bayoud disease resistance in date palms.
Best producer
Winner: Muhalhal Jassim Ibrahim Al Mudhaf from the Gulf Palm Company for General Trading, Kuwait.
Best technology
Winner: Dr Abdullah Mohammed Al Hamdan, Saudi Arabia, for utilisation of controlled atmosphere technology in shelf life extension of fresh Barhi dates
Runner up: Amin Zouba, Tunisia, for a new plant-growing media based on date palm leave midribs.
Best developmental project
Winner: Dr Essam Abdullah Mawloud from the Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq, for efforts to rehabilitate the date palm sector in Iraq.
Runner up: Dr Hamid Ibrahim Al Musli, Egypt, for a project to disseminate small-scale industries based on the palm's byproducts.
Distinguished Personality
Mohammed Saeed Al Makki, Jordan.
* Caline Malek
