Food security in Qatar

According to bq magazine, Qatar imports some 92 percent of its food needs. Domestic production of agriculture is basically of vegetables and no grains, and production levels cannot be raised due to depleting ground water reserves, arid soil and harsh weather.

Qatar National Food Security Programme was launched in 2008 to develop a national master plan for increasing the nation’s food security. Completed and presented to the Government in 2013, the Qatar National Food Security Plan focuses on teaming up with the private sector to boost national capacity for strategic trade and investment, increasing the sustainable local production of targeted food items and improving the overall efficiency and operation of the nation’s food system. Implementation of the National Plan is led by a cross-governmental committee under the direction of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.

Speaking about Qatar’s food security, Jonathan E. Smith, senior adviser at QNFSP, tells bq that it is very challenging to produce 100 percent of Qatar’s food needs domestically due to Qatar’s hot weather, unfertile soil, and lack of rain. He identifies water as the most urgent challenge hindering the expansion of agricultural production in the region. "As we enter an unprecedented period of international development, competition, population growth and climate change, water availability, quality and efficient use/re-use is the overwhelming global challenge to agriculture. This challenge is even more pronounced in the more than 60 nations currently classified as “dry land” or “arid.”

 According to Smith, producing more food does not lead to food security in Qatar’s case, but “increasing the sustainable production of certain fresh food items such as vegetables and poultry that are either in limited supply regionally or lose quality during transport can go a long way to improving the affordability, availability, nutrition and safety of food in the market.” Smith adds that by using appropriate practices to produce a targeted range of goods that are suitable in this market, Qatar can produce more than five times more food than it does currently using the exact same amount of land and one-third less water.

Rabi Mohtar, TEES Research Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering and Zachry Department of Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University, USA, tells bq what Qatar needs the most is tailored technologies specifically developed for its challenging nature. He describes food security in dry areas as a portfolio of many dimensions in which foreign investments, local production, and imports are key elements that should be investigated and studied

Local innovation a big contributor

Speaking about the role of the private sector, Mohtar says: “Once we define a comprehensive sustainable production system, then responsible industry and private sector should be the vehicle to implement the plan including new local specific and adaptive technologies or in supply chains and so on. The private sector is very crucial in this but should be within a sustainable framework. I believe because it is not capable of competing globally. We must promote manufacturing and local products first through policies and later through building competitive industries.”

Smith, on the other hand, says that while governments play a vital role setting policies, regulating markets appropriately, and assisting with infrastructure and development, the private sector will be at the forefront delivering food security. “In keeping with the Qatar National Vision and the overwhelming amount of data that came in during our process of reviewing the practices of more than 80 countries, it is clear that the private sector is simply better at innovating and operating efficiently,” says Smith, and adds that in order to tackle the challenges facing dry land nations, a mix of international collaboration and local innovation is required.

“Qatar has been actively investing in the agriculture and food sector through Hassad Food and the National Plan calls for continuing strategic international investment along with greater engagement of the local private sector.” In order to maximize its participation, Smith says the private sector needs a stable, fair playing field and appropriate support for development and innovation. “With this in hand, I believe we’ll see long-term improvement in food security through strategic trade and investment, sustainable development of local production and increased efficiency in the operation of the local market and strategic reserves."

For more on this story visit bq magazine’s website