QNA
Doha
The agriculture and livestock sector is rapidly rising on the top of global priorities, as it is the leading sector and the driving force behind the strength of any economy, and the main resource for food production, especially in light of the frequent fluctuations in supply chains and production systems and the expansion of the list of countries threatened with famine.
The agricultural sector has a special importance in the policies and directions of the State of Qatar, given its social and economic dimensions, and it has been given more attention, so that its contribution to the domestic product has become significant.
Today, the agriculture and livestock sector appears to have a sufficient share of the rising growth, on the basis of the great interest it has received in the country, as the sector entrusted with achieving food security, and for being one of the most important priorities of the state during the current and future period, as the latest data confirm that the agricultural sector in Qatar with both its plant and animal parts, it has succeeded in making great leaps on the road to sustainable development and achieving self-sufficiency, especially after allocating an annual support to this sector of QR 70 million over five years, with the aim of stimulating agricultural, livestock and fish production and marketing agricultural products, to reach self-sufficiency in crops by 70% by 2023.
As a result of this support, the agricultural sector, especially the plant sector, achieved an increase in the investment of protected areas by 28% during the period from 2019 to 2021, after it increased from 520 hectares to 666 hectares, and this was reflected in an increase in vegetable production by 11% during the same period.
The global food security index can be adopted as a base of measurement and evidence that the country is moving in the right direction, as Qatar ranked first in the Arab world in this field, and ranked 22 globally.
The agricultural strategy in the State of Qatar is based on expanding the circle of plant and animal agricultural products, such as vegetables, dates, red meat, poultry, eggs, fish, dairy and green fodder, taking into account the preservation of the country's natural resources and working to make good use of them, which led to a doubling of local production of vegetables, meat and fish. poultry, table eggs and animal feed, increasing by more than 400% in one year, The state has also given special importance to food control in terms of health and quality, in order to ensure raising the level of quality and safety of food products.
In this context, the Director of the Department of Agricultural Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality Youssef Al-Khulaifi, confirmed in an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), that the local production of vegetables witnessed a qualitative leap during the past years, achieving an increase of 100% during the past three years compared to what preceded it, as the local production of vegetables during 2021 amounted to about 102 thousand tons, compared to 55 thousand tons in 2017, and thus the rate of self-sufficiency of local vegetables increased from about 20% in 2017 to reach about 46% during 2022, an increase rate is about 130 percent, knowing that the target percentage is 70 percent.
The percentage of self-sufficiency in red meat reached 18% and the target is 30%, while fresh poultry reached 100%, thus achieving the target percentage and the same in dairy and its derivatives, while the self-sufficiency rate of table eggs increased from about 14% in 2017 to reach About 36% in 2022, an increase of more than 157%, and it is expected that the end of this year will witness the achievement of the self-sufficiency rate of this product recommended by the National Food Security Strategy, which is to cover the domestic demand by 70%.
What is remarkable in the Qatari agricultural scene is the empowerment and consolidation of smart technology tools in agriculture. Al-Khulaifi reveals, in his statement to QNA, that Qatari farms use modern (protected) farming systems, and the Ministry has distributed 2436 ordinary greenhouses, in addition to distributing 1,712 refrigerated houses, 100 houses dedicated to modern hydroponics, and 100 rooms for drying dates to improve their quality.
The ministry also concluded a contract with Mahaseel company, which is affiliated with Hassad company, in order to provide agricultural services to farmers with the aim of improving the quality and speed of providing these services, including plowing and other agricultural operations, as well as providing various agricultural production inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other such requirements.
In the same context, the Director of Food Security at Ministry of Municipality Masoud Al Marri told QNA that Qatar National Food Security Strategy is based on a systematic plan aimed at achieving secured self-sufficiency ratios of food commodities, while preserving natural resources, and giving a large space for the private sector to contribute to achieving the objectives of the strategy, pointing out that work will continue during the coming period to implement these plans to achieve the self-sufficiency rates set by this strategy.
Al Marri pointed out that the strategy focuses on increasing the local production of agricultural commodities, which the State of Qatar has a comparative advantage in producing, and recommends making a strategic stock of commodities that can be stored for long periods,which comes within the framework of preserving the country's limited natural resources, especially the elements of groundwater and land.
On this regards, Al Marri told QNA that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is currently working on raising the strategic stockpile of wheat to 10 months, compared to 4 months now, in order to meet the upcoming requirements of the State of Qatar during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is also working on raising the strategic stock of the rest of the targeted food commodities in accordance with the recommendations of Qatar National Food Security Strategy, adding that Qatar now has stocks of rice and edible oils for up to 4 months, with a target of 6 months, sugar and long-term milk for two months, with a target for 6 months, and frozen red meat and poultry for two months.
Al Marri pointed out that while preparing Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2018 – 2023, they made sure the strategy will be capable of adapting and dealing with emergencies. Experiences during the last period have confirmed that Qatar National Food Security Strategy has formed a wall and a safety valve for the State of Qatar in facing the repercussions of COVID-19 pandemic crisis, with its flexibility and emergency plans capable of facing such changes and temporary interruptions in import or production, in addition to insurance against long-term shocks.
Director of Food Security at Ministry of Municipality explained that work is currently underway to encourage farms to develop and increase their production. The Ministry of Municipality distributes many agricultural production requirements to local farms. It has also taken care of agricultural marketing as the basis for every increase in agricultural production, and by assisting productive farms in marketing their local production to achieve the maximum financial return. on this regard, the Ministry has established five yards for the Qatari agricultural product, projects like distinguished product and Qatar farms have been launched to allow the Qatari farmer to market his production himself without an intermediary, a contract was made with Mahaseel company, and establishing an agricultural marketing center that purchases products from farms at preferential prices. Recently, the ministry signed an agreement to assign agricultural services to Mahaseel company, taking into consideration that the agricultural production of vegetables during the peak production period for some major varieties such as cucumbers and tomatoes covers the local market needs during that period.
As for the livestock sector, Al Marri pointed out, in his statement to QNA, that this sector has achieved a great production boom in recent years.
The percentage of self-sufficiency in dairy and its products increased from about 28 percent in 2017 to 100 percent in 2022, which means that the sufficiency rate has quadrupled during the last five years and achieved full self-sufficiency in dairy and its products. Similarly, the State of Qatar was able to achieve complete self-sufficiency in fresh broiler chickens, after rising from about 50 percent in 2017 to 100 percent in 2022.
As for red meat, the country's self-sufficiency rate has increased from 13 percent in 2017, to reach about 18 percent nowadays, with an increase of about 38 percent, as Qatar National Food Security Strategy aims to achieve a self-sufficiency rate estimated at 30 percent in 2023. In this context, the Ministry has proposed (8) strategic projects for breeding and fattening local sheep and goats to private sector companies, with the aim of achieving the self-sufficiency rate targeted in Qatar National Food Security Strategy.
As for the fisheries sector in the State of Qatar, and given the importance of preserving the fish stock in the country and not depleting it by overfishing, Dr. Masoud Al-Marri pointed out that the Ministry of Municipality has focused more on fish farming projects as an appropriate way to increase fish production without exhausting the stock. The Ministry also inaugurated the Aquatic Fisheries Research Center in Ras Matbakh, which is considered one of the major productive research centers that support fish farming in the country and provides the necessary environment for establishing fish farming projects.
He added that there is a strategic project in the country for fish farming that is being implemented by a private sector company, and another project for shrimp farming, and the two projects are expected to contribute to achieving self-sufficiency rates targeted in Qatar National Food Security Strategy, which currently stands at 72 percent, knowing that the total number of livestock has reached 1,507,543 head, including 108,749 head of camels, 42,139 head of cows, 418,525 head of goats, and 938,130 head of sheep, while the number of working fish farms reached five, and estimated 211 bee farms including about 7,313 hives.
