The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) selected two agricultural success stories from Bahrain, featuring farmers Mirza Hassan Mansour and Mohamed Mohsen, for its regional publication, "Voices of cooperatives: A collective journey through the agrifood systems in the Near East and North Africa region".
Issued to mark FAO's 80th anniversary, the publication features more than 70 selected stories from over 14 countries in the region. FAO also published the two Bahraini stories on its website among inspiring experiences from the region.
Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, said that FAO's selection of the two Bahraini success stories reflects the continued achievements of the national agricultural sector, under the comprehensive development process led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and with the follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, as well as the continued support extended to the agricultural sector and Bahraini farmers.
The Municipalities Minister commended the continued support of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Consort of His Majesty the King and President of the Advisory Council of the National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD), and her leading role in supporting farmers and advancing agricultural development.
He also highlighted the effective partnership with NIAD and its efforts to support the sector and showcase successful national experiences and initiatives. Minister Al Mubarak noted that the selection of the two stories represents international recognition of the experiences of Bahraini farmers and reflects the sector's expertise in combining traditional agricultural knowledge with modern technologies.
For her part, Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Secretary General of the NIAD, said that the selection and publication of the two stories in a commemorative UN publication provide international documentation of two Bahraini agricultural experiences and reflect the development of the Kingdom's agricultural sector.
Shaikha Maram bint Isa highlighted the support of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa for the agricultural sector and Her Royal Highness's commitment to providing a supportive environment for farmers and enabling them to develop their production.
For his part, Asem Abdullatif Abdullah, Undersecretary of Agriculture Affairs and Animal Wealth at the Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, noted that the selection of the two stories reflects the leading examples set by Bahraini farmers in innovation, sustainability and collective action. He said that the Agriculture Affairs and Animal Wealth Sector prepared Bahrain's contribution and documented the two stories through field interviews and visual materials in coordination with FAO.
The first story highlights the experience of Mirza Hassan Mansour from Bilad Al Qadeem and his efforts to develop agricultural land affected by salinity through modern irrigation techniques and organic fertilisers. It also covers his family's involvement in developing smart irrigation systems and digital marketing, as well as the farm's community role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second story highlights the experience of Mohamed Mohsen from Buri and the Bahraini Farmers Association in developing a collective model based on the joint purchase of seeds and fertilisers to reduce costs, sharing technical expertise and supplying fresh produce to local markets, contributing to the resilience of Bahrain's food system and food security.