Doha: The Agriculture Research Department at the Ministry of Municipality has succeeded in finding water efficient local fodder plants, an alternative to traditional fodder plants which consume much water.
“The research work aims to cut the water consumption in growing green fodder in the country to increase the production in a bid to reduce the dependency on import,” said Director of Agricultural Research Department Hamad Saket Al Shamri.
Speaking to Al Rayan TV recently, Al Shamari said: “We found a local fodder plant ‘Al Labid’. The plant has potential for alternative green fodders from local environment.”
He said that ‘Al Labid’ plant was found 60 percent water efficient and rich of proteins. “Now the Animal Research Section is conducting research about the impact of the plant on milk and meat of animals at Livestock Research Center at Al Sheehaniya,” said Al Shamari.
He said that Agriculture Research Department found alternative of traditional fodder plants which consume much water.
“According to the statistics available at the Department so far, the number of farms which are using Al Labid plants as a fodder for their livestock reached 30 which is a good number,” said Al Shamari.
He said that the Department is working to add Al Thamam fodder (panicgrass) in the next phase.
“Our focus will be also on two fodder plants – cactus and beet (locally called Al Sabar and Al Banjar respectively) so we can reduce water consumption to increase greed fodder production to cut the import,” said Al Shamari.
He said that Agriculture Research Department is working closely with the departments concerned such as Department of Agricultural Affairs, Food Security Department, Fish Affairs Department and Livestock Department.
“Our research works are connected to said departments to bring about solutions for agricultural and livestock farms,” said Al Shamari.
The water efficient green fodder are expected to boost further the livestock sector of Qatar which witnessed robust growth in 2021, recording over 1.5 million registered heads of livestock contributing greatly in increasing local production of dairy and meat.
The number of heads of livestock including goats, sheep, camels and cows was recorded at 1,537,355 last year, according to statistics issued earlier by the Livestock Affairs Department of the Ministry of Municipality.
Of total, 948,983 or 62 percent are sheep, followed by 428,147 goats with 28 percent share. The number of camels and cows reached 116,359 and 43,866 respectively. The statistics recorded 15,644 animal keepers and 6,785 livestock farms (locally called ‘Al Adhab’).
