Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi (fourth right) with FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva, (centre) Dr Fuad Jaffer Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth at sate of Oman, (third right),
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment has agreed with Qatar Development Bank (QDB) to provide support for Qatari agricultural projects, the Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Mohamed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 5th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (Agriteq 2017) which he opened at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center yesterday, the Minister highlighted plans to develop agricultural projects for the youth by the year 2030 to help increase agricultural, livestock and fishery production.
"The Ministry’s vision can be achieved by giving the complete support to Qatari farms and providing them with agricultural material, fertilisers, veterinary treatments and consultations with the Ministry’s agriculture experts, in addition to coordination with the Qatar Development Bank (QDB) in implementing local agriculture-related projects," said the Minister.
“From now until 2020 we will have agricultural projects for youth to increase production, and the ministry will study increase of Qatari farms based on market demand,” he added.
Agriteq aims to raise farm production
The inauguration ceremony of the Agriteq was attended by Director General of Public Security Staff Major General Saad bin Jassim Al Khulaifi, Oman’s Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries HE Dr. Fuad bin Jafar bin Al Sajwani, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),José GrazianoDa Silva, Chairman and Director General of the Kuwait’s Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources Affairs Faisal Saoud Al-Hasawi and a number of other senior officials.
“The exhibition offers an ideal opportunity to increase the number of local farms and Qatari products, as well as opens bigger prospects to compete with imported products. This is clearly evident in the public demand on local products in compounds and markets,” said Al Remaihi.
“Agriteq aims to raise the level of agricultural production in the country in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030’s food security goals to increase the quality and quantity of crop production,” he added.
He said that the outcome of Agriteq 2017 will contribute effectively to making the future of agriculture in Qatar more promising from a business and economic perspective, thereby helping achieve food security.
The Ministry supports the efforts made by farms towards using modern technology without increasing water consumption or workforce, and using carefully selected seeds and high-quality biological products.
“The directives of the country’s wise leaders have had significant impact on making this year’s edition of Agriteq a great success on the local and international level, underlining the event’s main objective which revolves around offering extensive support to agriculture, livestock production and fisheries in Qatar to help attract foreign expertise, technologies and businesses, as well as emphasize the role of Qatari farms to achieve self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables,” Al Rumaihi said.
Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary of Agricultural Affairs, Livestock and Fisheries at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, explained that the agricultural industry in Qatar is seeing remarkable development due to efforts in product marketing and pursuing new opportunities in fishery, agricultural and livestock projects which address a large aspect of the country’s needs.
The exhibition plays a vital role in the development of Qatar’s agricultural market by providing consulting and marketing products and appropriate solutions for improving the agricultural sector, which is one of the pillars in the country’s food security.
“We have a joint agricultural projects with Qatar and we endeavor to expand these projects. We have discussed the possibility of an MoU to expand these activities which include food projects and many other projects,” said Dr. Fuad bin Jafar bin Al Sajwani.
“I have a meeting with some Qatari companies which have branches in Oman. The Qatari companies have the chances to invest in Omani market,”. Al Sajwani added.
“Despite the climate challenges, Qatar succeeded to overcome it and to achieve this agriculture development. What was important during my visit to Qatar is the big desire for planting at homes and using the new technology to increase production which include organic agriculture products,” said José GrazianoDa Silva said.
The exhibition presents the latest agricultural products and technologies from international companies, including developments in irrigation, livestock and dairy farms, horticulture and poultry feed, veterinary products and fish farming. A number of deals are expected to be signed during the exhibition between local and foreign companies.
