The event was attended by various national entities in the field of dates and palm, in line with the university’s golden jubilee celebrations, and to showcase its innovative and research capabilities in utilising palm and its by-products to advance sustainable, practical solutions with high economic, environmental, and societal impact.

The exhibition included the launch of the “Palm Research and Products Student Program”, which aims to support student research and innovation in date palm and its products, transform local resources into innovative applications and solutions, and promote scientific research among students. It contributes to producing research and added-value patents, and provides funding for up to 10 projects annually, with the participation of faculty and undergraduate students in research teams working within a period of 10 months.

The university also showcased a range of research projects in smart agriculture, including an intelligent palm pollination system based on computer vision and deep learning techniques; bacterial cellulose production with integrated processes; sustainable poultry feed based on organic ingredients; innovative architectural designs inspired by palm trees; and the development of bio-based materials and sustainable foaming compounds from their waste.

The researchers also presented projects in the fields of sustainability, energy, and the circular economy, including composite materials for capturing carbon dioxide and recycling palm fronds for use in solar evaporation systems for water desalination, as well as solutions for treating salt water in enhanced oil recovery operations, technologies for converting desert biomass into energy, applications for intelligent nanomedicine from date waste, and sustainable bio-leathers from palm tree waste.

Since 2020, UAEU has achieved significant research advances in palm and its products, including the implementation of 61 research projects, 25 research projects for undergraduate students, 224 indexed scientific papers published in Scopus, and 20 patents obtained, reflecting the development of the research and innovation system in this vital field.

Several national entities participated in the exhibition, including the Secretary General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, the National Agriculture Center, and Al Foah Company. These entities reviewed their initiatives, programmes and achievements related to developing the palm and date sector and agricultural innovation in the country.