In the Libyan countryside, farmer Ismail Ben Saoud has launched an agricultural experiment, banking on Mejhoul dates, a premium variety prized across the Arab world but untested in such a humid coastal climate. Ben Saoud's five-hectare farm in Misrata, western Libya, stands out in a landscape dotted by olive and citrus trees. "With experience, perseverance and the correction of mistakes and problems, we're getting better every year," says Ben Saoud. Eight years after taking the plunge, he says his 700 palm trees are now producing high-quality Mejhoul dates, which he hopes will soon reach international markets soon. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES