+ A
A -
Tribune News Network
Doha
Smart farming is certainly taking root in Qatar, thanks to the use of innovative modern technology to increase productivity without weakening the natural resources.
Qatar has made huge strides in the use of modern irrigation systems in the farms, increasing the application from about 45 percent of the total cultivated area in 2010 to over 80 percent in 2018.
In a statement during the Arab Agriculture Day celebration by the Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development, the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) said Qatar attaches great significance to the use of modern technology in the agricultural sector, especially to save water and increase productivity.
The ministry said its strategy focuses largely on vertical expansion in agricultural production through maximising the use of smart technology in various agricultural sectors.
The MME said it focused on adopting greenhouse technology in Qatari farms as an effective means of increasing the production of vegetables and reducing water consumption. In recent years, there have been significant increase in the cultivated area of green houses from about 120 hectares in 2010 to more than 300 hectares this year.
The MME has offered 34 new projects to private investors to produce vegetables using greenhouse technology, with an area of about 100,000 square metres per project.
During the past few years, the MME focused on adopting greenhouse technology in Qatari farms as an effective means of increasing the production of vegetables and reducing water consumption, while there has been a significant increase in the cultivated area of greenhouses from about 120 hectares in 2010 to more than 300 hectares this year.
In this regard, the ministry said it has offered 34 new strategic projects for private investors to produce vegetables using the greenhouses technology, in an area of about 100,000 square metres per project.
It said the ministry pays great attention to soil less farming. Qatar has seen a significant growth in soil less cultivated areas in recent times.
The new projects for producing vegetables in greenhouses will apply this type of technology, the ministry said.
Similarly for green fodder production, the ministry said it is focusing on reducing the use of groundwater in the cultivation of this type of feed. The aim is to use treated sewage water.
Three new farms were established for the production of green fodder with treated sewage water in a total area of 650 hectares, bringing the total area cultivated with treated sewage in the state to about 4,000 hectares, it said.
The MME said Qatar is also paying great attention to organic agriculture for its competitiveness in the Qatari market, pointing out that eight Qatari farms use the organic production method, three of which are currently marketing their organic vegetables in the Qatari market, while others are preparing to register for organic farming over the next few years.
It said the livestock sector is one of the important and vital sectors. The MME recently opened the Animal Production Research Center in Al Shehaniya, which is mainly concerned with applied research in livestock, including IVF research.
The centre is expected to contribute effectively in increasing the productivity of animals, which is a crucial factor in the provision of natural resources in the state.
The ministry said it is interested in the development of veterinary services, in terms of treatment and immunisation, and provides them free of charge, noting that every year about 700,000 heads of animals are immunised, which leads to a huge boom in the number of animals in the country, from around 600,000 in 2012 to about 1.5 million this year.
The ministry further said it is focusing on reducing fishing effort to avoid depletion of fish stocks for future generations. It has launched a strategic floating fish cage project for private investors to produce about 2,000 tonnes of fish annually, while the project facilities are being set up to start production and local marketing by 2020.
