Qatar Participates in IFAD Governing Council Meeting

Qatar Participates in IFAD Governing Council Meeting

Rome - Information Office - 12 February 2020

The State of Qatar participated in the meetings of the 43rd session of the annual Governing Council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), held under the theme "Investing in sustainable food systems to end hunger by 2030", from Feb. 11 to 14 at the headquarters of the Council in Rome.

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of Italy and IFAD's Governor Abdulaziz bin Ahmed Al Maliki led the State's delegation to the meetings.

In a speech delivered during the opening session of the Council's meetings, HE Qatar's Ambassador to Italy stressed that Qatar has established specialized companies for food, animal and fish production and has presented numerous agricultural investment projects to private sector's investors, in addition to a number of other strategic projects for the production of vegetables using greenhouses, new projects for the production of fodder by using process water, and projects for fish farming projects in floating cages. These projects came out of the State of Qatar's belief that its food security is part of the regional and international food security, HE added.

HE the Ambassador underlined that the State of Qatar is taking all these measures, projects and programs that are consistent with its pursuit and determination to achieve self-sufficiency in food, secure food supplies and ensure its safety. The country also uses renewable energies to apply best practices for the development of the agricultural sector, better use of limited natural resources, preservation of the environment and stabilization of agro-food products' markets, development of investment mechanisms in the agricultural sector and the provision of guarantees for the private sector to invest in this field, HE pointed out.

His Excellency clarified that the State of Qatar called from all international platforms to confront the severe challenges caused by climate change and its impact on the shortage and scarcity of water resources, which negatively affected agro-food production, livestock and fisheries.

He also stressed that climate changes caused drought, desertification and degradation of agricultural lands in many countries, adding that this could put many people at the risk of undernutrition and poverty.

Al Maliki said that the State of Qatar's strategy and future visions aimed at achieving its food security and its national programs have placed it in the first position among Arab countries and 13th globally according to the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) data, which is introduced by The Economist magazine.

He affirmed that the State of Qatar has already managed to overcome all threats, challenges and negative impacts during the unjust and unjustified blockade imposed on it by some countries, of which regional food security was one of its victims.

  His Excellency explained that the challenges facing the agro-food production and sustainable management of natural resources are multifaceted, indicating that agriculture is closely and directly related to the nature that today has become subject to fluctuations without limits.

He pointed out that, despite the abundance of natural resources and human and economic capabilities in many geographical regions, there are still other regions that suffer from protracted food crises of various sources, including our region, the Near East and North Africa region.

He also noted that there is no doubt that there are many difficult challenges facing mankind, but there are also many good, tender, sincerity, determination and innovation that can be relied upon.

His Excellency praised the efforts and the great role of IFAD and its fruitful cooperation with member states in order to achieve sustainable development leading to the achievement of one of the main goals of the third millennium, namely the eradication of poverty, hunger and undernutrition and achieving global food security, which is a common goal for all.