Man who helped turn Al Ain green dies
al ain — An iconic horticulturist and Sheikh Zayed’s first agricultural adviser who helped him turn Al Ain into a green oasis passed away following months of illness. He was 82 and is survived by his seven children — four sons Tareq, Khalid, Rashid and Hamid — and three daughters.
Abdul Hafeez Yawar Khan Al Yousefi, a naturalised UAE citizen of Pakistani origin and a long time resident of Al Ain, died at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain on February 14. He was endearingly called ‘Khan the agriculturist’.
His son Khalid Abdul Hafeez Al Yousefi told Khaleej Times on Monday that his father had been suffering from a host of illnesses for a couple of months.
“He had been receiving treatment and died due to age-related ailments,” said Khalid, adding that his father had such “steely will power and relentless determination” that even in his last days, he would go out to water the trees and gardens surrounding his home.
“He was an extremely loving, kind and friendly dad. He taught us many things, including the love for people and greenery. We shall always feel a void.”
Al Yousefi was buried at an old cemetery in Al Ain, just a fiveminute walk from his home where he had lived for 58 years.
‘A challenging task’
In an interview with Khaleej
in 2018, Al Yousefi said turning the Al Ain desert green was quite a challenging task for him, but because of the late Sheikh Zayed’s great passion for agriculture, the job became easier and the dream was accomplished.
He recalled that agriculture was an expensive and tiring task at that time as they had to fight the harsh climate. However, Sheikh Zayed had a vision of transforming Al Ain into a green oasis and he had a clear-cut budget set aside for the purpose.
“I have never seen anyone with such great affection for greenery and so passionate about agriculture like Sheikh Zayed,” Al Youefi had said in the interview. “He surely believed that greening the desert was the only way to modern civilisation. And when it came to implementing agricultural projects, his imagination had no limits.”
He said Sheikh Zayed had money to build a modern city but he wanted greenery before modernity.
Among the first trees imported on Al Yousefi’s advice when he had just arrived in Al Ain was eucalyptus. Twelve crates of eucalyptus were imported from Australia.
Sheikh Zayed planted the first tree in the garden of the horticulturist’s simple old home located on the outskirts of Al Ain city in 1962. The house is surrounded by exotic plants, fruits and flowers.