File photo used for representation only.
Doha: Local food production in Qatar has jumped over the past five years due to state efforts to increase self-sufficiency and ensure food security in the country.
“Over the past five years, Qatar has achieved a production boom in terms of food security, represented by significant growth in cultivated areas, quantity and production, which contributed to increasing the volume of fresh vegetable production by about 98%,” said Minister of Municipality H E Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah.
He said the country had achieved self-sufficiency in the livestock production sector, reaching 100% in fresh milk and its derivatives and fresh poultry.
The Minister of Municipality was speaking at the 36th meeting of the Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee of GCC countries, chaired by Qatar.
The meeting was held in Doha yesterday, with the participation of Their Excellencies GCC Ministers of Agriculture and Food Security and GCC Secretary-General H E Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi.
Minister of Municipality H E Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah (centre) with Their Excellences ministers and other dignitaries on the sideline of the event.
The Minister of Municipality said Qatar also pays great attention to fish production and works to sustain it through development programmes for this sector, in addition to the initiatives launched by the ministry to support all food security sectors.
He noted the new National Food Security Strategy is scheduled to be launched soon in line with the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030.
The Ministry said that main objectives of new strategy are to achieve sustainability, and rely on modern technologies and innovation in the agricultural sector, in order to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030 and strengthen its pillars.
The 36th meeting of GCC Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee discussed a number of topics on the agenda, including the food security strategy, the law on organic inputs and products, and executive regulations of the law on the system of fertilizers and agricultural soil improvers.
It also discussed Executive Regulations of the Law on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Genetic Bank, Gulf Guide for Collecting and Transporting Animal Samples, and Approval of the Executive Regulations of the Law (System) on Preventive Procedures for Infectious and Epidemic Animal Diseases.
The unified law (system) for the protection, development and exploitation of the living aquatic wealth of the GCC countries was also discussed, as well as the unification of the minimum lengths permitted for fishing for some types of traded fish, and a procedural guide to accelerate the follow-up and implementation of decisions issued by the Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee.
The meeting included following up on the decisions of the committee’s 34th meeting, as well as cooperation with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
The Minister of Municipality and Chairman of the meeting stressed that food security has become one of the most important challenges facing our countries, especially in light of climate change, population growth pressures, and fluctuations in global markets.
He added: “Heavy reliance on imports to meet our food needs makes us vulnerable to fluctuations in exporting countries, which highlights the importance of adopting comprehensive national and regional strategies to enhance self-sufficiency and ensure the sustainability of our food resources.”
The Minister stressed the importance of adopting policies that support sustainable agriculture, encouraging investments in the local agricultural sector, and developing modern agricultural technologies that contribute to increasing production and reducing resource consumption. “We must also pay special attention to initiatives that enhance cooperation between the GCC countries.”
The Minister noted that recent years have witnessed remarkable progress in the field of food security in the GCC countries, as joint efforts continue between member states to achieve this goal by enhancing cooperation to ensure the transformation of national food systems into healthy, sustainable systems capable of withstanding crises.
