Libya farmer breaks new ground with outlier date variety

Ben Saoud's five-hectare (12-acre) farm in Misrata, western Libya, stands out in the landscape that is dotted by olive and citrus trees. Eight years after taking the leap, he says his 700 palm trees now produce high-quality Mejhoul dates which he hopes will reach international markets soon. "People have claimed that these palms couldn't survive here, especially near the sea," said Ben Saoud, 42. "But with persistence and careful experimentation, we are proving them wrong." Mejhoul dates, native to Morocco's semi-arid regions...