Manama: Wael bin Nasser Al Mubarak, Minister of Municipalities and Agriculture, announced that the final judging session of the Irrigation Solutions Innovation Competition will be held on September 22 at the Manama Municipality building, where the shortlisted projects will be reviewed and evaluated ahead of selecting the winners.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the competition was launched last year by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, as part of the Tree Week Initiative. The competition aims to promote innovative irrigation solutions, improve water-use efficiency, and expand the use of treated water in landscaping and urban beautification projects.
Al Mubarak emphasized that the competition supports national efforts to develop smart and sustainable water management solutions, enhance irrigation network efficiency, and expand green spaces across the Kingdom. It also aligns with the afforestation plan to double the number of trees by 2035, in line with national environmental sustainability and climate action priorities and Bahrain's target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
Ibrahim bin Hassan Al Hawaj, Minister of Works, highlighted that the competition provides an opportunity to develop practical and sustainable irrigation solutions using treated water. He noted that the final judging stage will assess the shortlisted projects from technical, operational, and economic perspectives, as well as their feasibility and potential for wider application.
The competition features two categories: the first focuses on innovative irrigation solutions at designated sites, including King Hamad Avenue, Bahrain Bay Avenue, and Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Avenue. The second involves developing an integrated irrigation solution for an area not connected to the treated-water network.
The competition is open to individuals, engineering consultancies, contractors, universities, research centers, and other institutions, with submissions aimed at improving water efficiency and supporting agricultural and urban beautification projects.