Dubai (AFP)

Date palm cultivation, inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, played a crucial role in the development of civilizations in the hot and arid regions of the Arab world.

The tree, whose roots penetrate deep into the soil, allowing it to grow in dry climates, was not only a source of food, but also of economic gain.

"The date palm, the knowledge, skills, traditions and practices (related to it, ed) have played a central role in strengthening the links between people and the land of the Arab regions, allowing them to better face the challenges of this harsh desert environment, "said UNESCO in a statement posted on its website.

The request to enter "knowledge, know-how, traditions and practices associated with the date palm" was selected by the organization among 41 other applications.

"The peoples of the submitting States have been linked to the date palm for centuries since it helped them to build their civilization", assured the 14 Arab countries that submitted this nomination (Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania , Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen).

"Historical research and the various excavations undertaken have revealed the major cultural and economic status of this plant in many regions and civilizations such as Mesopotamia, the Arabian Gulf and ancient Egypt," they added.

The date is among the daily foods of Arab countries. Trays garnished with this very sweet fruit adorn the tables of the Arab world, where the date palm has always symbolized prosperity. And serving dates to accompany coffee or tea remains a hallmark of hospitality.

Associated with Islam, sold at variable prices depending on the grower and the geographical origin, the date, sometimes stuffed with other dried fruits or coated with chocolate, is also omnipresent during religious festivals.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the date palm is probably the oldest cultivated tree.

From 4000 BC JC, it was grown by men. Near the ancient city of Our in Mesopotamia, in the present south of Iraq, it even served to build a temple for the god of the Moon.

But this ancestral culture faces many challenges: the Gulf countries are fighting so hard to eradicate the red weevil, native to Asia and detected for the first time in the region in the 1980s.

This insect, which measures just a few centimeters, produces larvae that feed on the trunk of palm trees and kill trees.

"In the Gulf countries and the Middle East, $ 8 million (7.2 million euros) is lost every year just to remove severely infested trees," according to the FAO.

All parts of the date palm are still used in some areas for shelter or to make a variety of products, including handicrafts, mats, ropes and furniture.

According to the Geneva-based International Trade Center, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are among the leading exporters of dates.

© 2019 AFP