Doha: The three-day Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit 2021 opened in Rome yesterday.
The event highlighted the efforts and contributions of a global engagement process to shape ambition to transform food systems. The Food Systems Summit will take place in September.
Representing the State of Qatar at the Pre-Summit, Minister of Municipality and Environment and Acting Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie said Qatar has completed establishment of a national food security analytics platform, which is able to collect and integrate all data related to food security under a single digital dashboard available to decision makers in Qatar and which helps in designing data-based and fact-based policies and interventions.
Qatar, he said, aspired to build a high-performance and most sustainable food system.
The State is working to enhance and improve the economy to become diversified and competitive and to improve living standards by maintaining balance between economic, social and environmental development, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, the Minister said. “Our food system in Qatar is successful, as a result of concerted efforts and cooperation between a number of sectors and a wide range of stakeholders,” said the Minister. He said the national committee, with stakeholders from the government and private sectors, coordinates the implementation of the national food security strategy.
The Minister said that consumers, traders, food processing factories and producers, researchers, students and policy makers formed a solid foundation for the development and implementation of national food security initiatives.
The Minister highlighted Qatar’s preparation to improve food systems to comply with the 2030 sustainable development goals of UN, through projects and programmes that have been implemented to enhance the food system in the country to confront food insecurity at the regional and global levels, and to meet future aspirations and ambitions.
He said despite the many challenges faced by Qatar due to harsh climate conditions and the scarcity of its natural resources, the country has worked through the implementation of various initiatives under the National Food Security Strategy to achieve 100% supply of basic foodstuffs, ensuring their availability, high quality and affordability on a daily basis, and at all times, including times of crisis and emergency.
The Minister said the country also worked to increase local production capacity and raise the self-sufficiency rate by increasing local production of fresh vegetables, dairy, poultry and fish products, where the country achieved 100% self-sufficiency for some commodities, compared to not more than 20% few years ago.
He said sustainable fish farming projects were implemented to relieve pressure on the local fish stock and manage it in a sustainable manner and improve fishing levels, as well as reducing groundwater depletion through the total transformation of green fodder production by treated wastewater.
The Minister said that farmers’ support programme was implemented to improve and enhance the feasibility of local production. “We are also working on preparing and implementing policies to reduce food waste and losses, in line with one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030.”
He stressed that food quality and safety is at the top of the state’s agenda, and there will soon be a food safety authority in the State of Qatar, based on modern approaches and risk assessment, in terms of inspection, control and protection of food standards from farm to table.
The Minister said that the Qatar National Research Fund is fully focused on developing research and innovation in the field of food security with the aim of developing sustainable solutions that benefit Qatar and the world.
The Minister stressed the importance of the unity of the international community to support the food security system through the development and implementation of regulatory frameworks that prevent any country from being deprived of the food supply in times of conflict.
From Left: Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and Masoud Jarallah Al Marri, Director of the Food Security Department at MME.
Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al Thani, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs at the MME, said that plans and programmes of agricultural sector are in line with the aspirations of the Food Systems Summit, which aims to enhance agricultural production with a positive impact on natural resources.
He said this is represented in promoting modern agriculture to reduce water depletion as well as reducing the use of pesticides by encouraging organic farming and switching to producing green fodder by treated water and stopping the use of groundwater to reduce its depletion.
In addition, Sheikh Dr. Faleh said, the organic fertilizer production projects that convert animal waste into fertilizers aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the effects of climate change.
He explained that activities of the agricultural sector are also aimed at achieving another goal of the summit, which is the promotion of just livelihoods, which is to improve the economic returns of local producers through various marketing programmes such as agricultural yards; the distinguished product programme; and the purchase and marketing of local farm products through Mahaseel Company.
Sheikh Dr. Faleh said that the agricultural sector also seeks to enhance agricultural guidance through the establishment of a digital farmers platform that enables farmers to obtain technical support and agricultural extension in a flexible and record time compared to traditional methods, in addition to various packages of agricultural support programmes for plants, animals and fish.
Director of the Food Security Department at MME, Masoud Jarallah Al Marri, who is also national coordinator for the UN Food Systems Summit, said since Qatar joined the Summit, efforts have been under way with all the authorities concerned with food systems, whether from the public or private sector, with the aim of developing food systems in the country to contribute to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
He said the final preparations to hold the first national dialogues, to be held on August 8-9, 2021, are currently being completed, which will open direct dialogue between government and private agencies, consumers, merchants, scientists and researchers.
Al Marri said after the completion of the national dialogues, the required approach will be determined during the next ten years to develop food systems in Qatar in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030, which will be reviewed during the Food Systems Summit at the end of September 2021.
