Date Palm for Food Security and Poverty Reduction

 Salman Ata and Dr. Babar Shahbaz

Department of Agri. Extension, University of Agriculture Faisalabad

The rural areas of Pakistan in general and that of Balochistan, Southern Punjab, and Sindh in particular are among the poorest regions of country and at the bottom of Human Development Index (HDI). These resource-scarce areas share common features of poverty, meager infrastructure, limited livelihood opportunities, fragile eco-system, etc. Being marginal areas the people of these regions have limited livelihoods options. The recent floods have made the situation more critical and there is a serious threat of food insecurity in these areas. In dry and semi-arid regions date palm is one of the important components of farming system but its role in economic sustainability and food security of local population has not yet been fully recognized. As a matter of fact the date palm offers a good opportunity to the poor farmers to leave the vicious cycle of poverty because of its numerous usages (food, fuel, shelter and handicraft) and global market opportunities.

Date palm is one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world. Date seed of about 5000 years old were found in the excavation at Mohenjo Daro. Dates are mentioned in the religious books of Muslims and Christens and are the famous food for Muslims all over the world particularly during the holy month of Ramazan. Dates are instant source of energy and have an important role in human nutrition as they contain a large amount of carbohydrates, salts and minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins and dietary fibre. One kilogram of dates provides 3,000 calories while banana, orange, apricot, wheat bread, cooked rice and meat (without fat) give 970, 480, 520, 2,295, 1,800 and 2,245 calories/ kg respectively. Furthermore, the by-products of date palm have numerous usages.  

Major date palm growing areas in Pakistan are Turbat, Makran and Panjgur (Baluchistan), Mazzafargarh, D. G. Khan, Bahawalpur, Multan and Jhang district of Punjab, Khairpur, Mirpur Khas and Sukkur in Sindh and D. I. Khan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Pakistan is among the top producers of dates but only ten percent of total date production is exported and remaining ninety percent is either consumed locally or wasted due to inadequate marketing and storage facilities. Aseel, Begum Jangi, Gulistan, Fasli and Dhaki are most prominent Pakistani date varieties. These varieties can compete with world’s popular date varieties but due to poor market infrastructure, lack of awareness about production technology, poor financial conditions, shortage of storage and processing facilities etc. Pakistani dates are not getting the real value in international markets.

The date palm, being the tree of hot and climate, grows well in harsh climatic conditions. This tree not only provides the food but also a large number of other products which have been extensively used in the rural as well as urban areas of South Punjab and Sindh. The inferior quality dates and date seed, after soaking in water, are fed to animals. The leaves of date palm are used for making huts, mats, manual fans, rugs, bread dishes, baskets, different types of containers for domestic use and also provide packing material for fruits and vegetables. Dried branches are used as sticks, brooms and fuel. Rope and large hats are made from old leaf sheath. Fruit stalk is used as brooms and for kite making, whereas the trunk of date palm is used to make pillars for huts, roofing of small houses and is also utilized for construction of aqueducts and bridges. All remaining parts of date palm are used as a fuel. Most of the products obtained from date palm are prepared by women at their homes in rural areas which provide extra income besides the fruit.

These uses of date palm tree as food, fuel, shelter and in manufacturing of different handicrafts indicate its potential to reduce food insecurity and to ensure livelihoods sustainability in the date palm growing areas. The date palm offers a good food source for the poor as well as for those who consume diets with high fat and low fibre. All three components of food security (food availability, access to food, and effective food utilization) can be achieved by enhancing date cultivation in Pakistan. There is a need to establish well developed date orchards on scientific basis as most of the date cultivation in the region is in scattered pattern with meager government and private sector intervention. The international market for dates is rising and the main exporting countries are striving to increase their share as new markets emerge with trade liberalization under WTO. Some countries have diversified into organic production of dates. For example, Israel and Tunisia export certified organic dates and earn substantial revenues. Pakistan, too, can try out such innovative pathways to boost-up national economy as well as to ensure livelihood and food security of the local date palm growers.