Qatar has realised about its high dependency on its neighbouring countries for essential products such as food items due to blockade. Since then it has been using the opportunity devised by crisis to become self-sufficient with the major focus on food security.
Qatar looks highly motivated to achieve aim of self-sufficiency and its confidence has even been a major factor in attracting a lot of Global firms to join its ambitious Self-sufficiency Exhibition scheduled in April, 2018, which is certainly a great prospect.
Recently, in an exclusive interview with Qatar Tribune, AeroFarms Co-Founder and CEO David Rosenberg, stated that his company has presented their technology of indoor farming to Qatar and local businessmen have expressed interest in associating.
The technology of indoor farming to grow vegetables without sun or soil, in a fully-controlled indoor environment can prove very beneficial to Qatar given its geographical conditions. The company’s patented aeroponic growing system, he explained, has very fast harvest cycles, predictable results, superior food safety and less environmental impact.
Though such association will ensure self-sufficiency and food security and boost much needed confidence in local producers and manufacturers to contribute in economic growth, it may lead to increase in prices of indoor produced farm products. The technology as claimed by Rosenberg, ensures that all their produce is available year-round, consistent price, longer shelf life, less shrink, safely grown, wide variety, customizable mixes and no weather issues.
Till now Qatar has met its demand by exports but on a much higher prices and compromised quality, however, such a technology can have immediate effect on achieving food security but only if we do not have to compromise on quality and reasonability of the prices. Hence, we need to move up on lines of ‘produce in Qatar’ and this may prove to be a good addition, without compromising on the basics, as we are not looking for a short-term solution but a long term plan.
