DOHA: As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen national food security, the Ministry of Municipality (MoM) has unveiled a key initiative aimed at integrating small-scale livestock farms into the country’s red meat value chain.
The strategy seeks to establish direct partnerships with private sector operators, thereby boosting sustainable local production, enhancing self-sufficiency, and supporting the long-term resilience of the agriculture sector.
Assistant Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Hamad Hadi Al-Hajri, said the project will ensure that small producers are linked with private sector operators who can absorb their output directly, thus strengthening the supply of red meat in the country. Speaking to Al Rayan TV recently, he said that efforts are underway to encourage farm owners to diversify into secondary products, such as dairy, alongside upcoming initiatives in aquaculture.
Al-Hajri highlighted that Qatar has already launched a fish farming project under the previous national food security strategy and is now preparing to introduce two additional fish-farming projects in the near future. These initiatives aim to diversify sources of animal protein and enhance self-sufficiency.
Al-Hajri noted that the ministry is also transitioning from open-field farming to modern greenhouse cultivation, with support mechanisms and incentive programmes aimed at boosting economic productivity for farmers. He highlighted the importance of resilience, recalling how Qatar’s food security system successfully dealt with COVID-19 pandemic and managed major events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and supply pressures during the Iran-Israel conflict in June.
To give a boost to resilience, Qatar is advancing external investment projects, particularly in red meat and animal feed production. “Producing feed locally consumes large amounts of water, so our strategy is to cover part of the demand through sustainable foreign investments,” Al-Hajri said.
“Our food security system has evolved significantly over the past years, proving its ability to withstand crises and major events,” he added. “We are committed to building on this progress to achieve self-sufficiency and reinforce resilience, both locally and globally. By 2030, we aim to fully realise our national food security objectives.”
He explained that the ultimate goal of the national food security strategy is to develop a resilient and sustainable local food system capable of meeting all community needs. The strategy is built on three main pillars: local production, which includes enhancing domestic markets and supporting farmers; strategic reserves, including emergency stockpiles and early warning systems; and international trade and investment, ensuring diverse sources of imported food and sustainable external supply chains.
Under these pillars, a series of initiatives have been launched, guided by principles designed to promote healthy and sustainable consumption habits, food quality and safety, technological innovation, and the use of modern techniques.
