Overall objective / activities to be implemented under the grant:
The cities of Bam, Narmashir, Rigan and Fahraj, conventionally known as the Greater Bam, are located on the outskirts of Lut Desert, east of Kerman Province. Having water-filled Qanats and countless date palm orchards, the hardworking people in the Greater Bam produce highest quality of Mazafati dates in Iran. After the outbreak of COVID-19, the date buyers, expect not only high-quality dates but also want a valid health certificate label on the product. Due to the fact that date packaging in the region is mainly done in traditional ways, lack of the health certificate has overshadowed the business of the farmers in the region and with rumors spread such as the possibility of Coronavirus remaining on agricultural products causing the decline in sales and financial losses for orchard owners.
While promoting the observation of hygiene during the date packaging, the project intends to address the occasional nature of date consumption in the domestic market too. Another objective of the project is to help compensate farmers financially by exploring other agricultural product potentials in the region. The capacities identified for the purpose are to promote planting of medicinal herbs and other varieties of dates as well as the production of handicrafts from palm tree fibers.
Thus, improved economic value chain of the region?s agricultural products by attention to hygiene factors, diversifying the uses of Mazafati dates of Bam, increased economic returns of date palm orchards by creating biodiversity, empowerment of women, and reducing agricultural waste by producing handicrafts from date palm fiber could be mentioned among specific objectives of the project.