Agricultural Production in Qatar’s Hot Arid Climate

Abstract

Agriculture has played an essential role in the provision of food and has been a major factor in overall economic development for societies around the world for millennia. In the past, agriculture in hot, arid countries like Qatar faced many challenges, the primary one being a dearth of water for irrigation. Historically this severely limited Qatar’s economic development, which was based largely on resource exploitation, pearl fishing, and only more recently, on the exploitation of its oil and gas reserves which subsequently has led to Qatar’s great wealth. This paper gives an overview of the recent evolution of Qatar’s agricultural sector and investigates future trends that tackle the challenges of its hot arid climate and the limited availability of agricultural resources. Specifically, the review analyses Qatar’s potential to develop a national food security strategy based on a significant expansion of food production in the country. We review recent policy actions implemented to address challenges in the food supply chain caused by a 3.5-year blockade imposed by the adjacent Arab Gulf States, discussing the renewed interest in the potential that an enhanced agricultural sector must provide some aspects of food security and the implications for policymakers that would logically ensue.

Rodent-Related Zoonotic Pathogens at the Human–Animal–Environment Interface in Qatar: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…In the residential area, rodents are more prevalent in bachelor accommodations [ 135 ]. It is plausible that immense ongoing efforts in urbanization and agricultural projects, in addition to climate change [ 138 , 139 , 140 ], may be conducive to a species-jump of rodent-borne pathogens from immigrant workers to livestock animals and rodents. Further, the introduction and establishment of new rodent species and their associated vectors in Qatar can increase such potential risks.…”

Smart greenhouses as the path towards precision agriculture in the food-energy and water nexus: case study of Qatar

“…The greenhouse industry could be further developed with the help of knowledge and innovation and the introduction of new techniques for modernizing the agricultural sector across the value chain. Greenhouse production can become smarter and less resource-intensive while integrating dynamic technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics and adapting advanced cooling technologies to increase crops' shelf-life (Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Doha 2019; Karanisa et al 2021). The government's attitude can enable the greenhouse sector to advance even further, in cooperation with educational institutes, researchers and the private sector on a national and international level.…”

Contribution of Non-profit Organizations to Food Security and Sustainability in the State of Qatar

“…The number of farms and farmers' markets in Qatar is increasing. Some local farms hold international organic certifications like USDA Certification by Agrico Agricultural Development and IFOAM certification by Al Safwa farms (Karanisa et al, 2021). Karanisa et al (2021) suggest that there are several opportunities for Qatar to improve its domestic markets by focusing on exports.…”

“…Some local farms hold international organic certifications like USDA Certification by Agrico Agricultural Development and IFOAM certification by Al Safwa farms (Karanisa et al, 2021). Karanisa et al (2021) suggest that there are several opportunities for Qatar to improve its domestic markets by focusing on exports. The winter season in Qatar allows for the production of high-quality agricultural products that could not only satisfy local demands but also to export fresh high-quality agricultural products to countries in the Northern Hemisphere.…”

“…Following the Gulf Arab rift in 2017, Qatar paid considerable attention to food security and made it a top priority. Consequently, the country has expanded and supported the local agricultural producers, aiming at achieving self-sufficiency and satisfying the increasing demand for food that resulted from rapid population growth and economic development (Karanisa et al, 2021). The Ministry of Municipality (MM) statistics show that the local agricultural production increased from 523 million Qatari Riyals (QR) in 2015 to 1.22 billion QR in 2019 (MM, 2020).…”