Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality Dr Masoud Jarallah al-Marri has stressed that the National Food Security Strategy 2030 is an ambitious roadmap to achieve sustainability in Qatar’s food system in the face of global challenges.In an exclusive interview with QNA, Dr al-Marri said that the strategy includes projects aimed at developing local production and increasing its efficiency using modern and sustainable technologies, such as fish farming projects, enhancing the production of red meat and vegetables, in addition to providing support to the private sector to implement initiatives that enhance self-sufficiency.He pointed out that the new food security strategy aims to build a resilient and sustainable food system, through co-operation with all stakeholders in the public and private sectors, based on three main pillars: developing local production and local markets, developing strategic stocks and warning systems, and boosting international trade and investment. Regarding the development of local production and local markets, local production of targeted products such as vegetables, red meat, fish, and table eggs is developed, using modern and sustainable technologies such as hydroponic and vertical farming systems, he said, adding that this pillar includes supporting farmers and producers through guidance and knowledge transfer to improve production efficiency and utilisation of natural resources.As for the pillar regarding the development of strategic stocks and warning systems, the strategy works to ensure the availability of food supplies throughout the year, even in times of crisis, by improving the strategic stock and adding agricultural production inputs, he added, pointing out that, when it comes to the international trade and investment boosting pillar, efforts are being made to diversify sources of international trade and develop supply chains and transport and storage infrastructure to ensure continuity of supplies at reasonable prices.Dr al-Marri also said that the National Food Security Strategy 2030 reinforces the importance of partnerships with the public and private sectors, as partnership with the private sector is a fundamental pillar for developing the food system, adding that the strategy includes several initiatives to support the private sector, such as: encouraging farmers to use protected agriculture techniques, offering fish farming and red meat production projects to local private sector companies.The Director of the Food Security Department highlighted the issue of strategic inventory management with the private sector’s contribution in storing and recycling food commodities and production inputs, as well as diversifying import sources by supporting local companies to expand into international markets and foreign investment, noting that these partnerships contribute to achieving sustainability by improving governance and expanding the scope of trade, which reduces dependence on limited sources.The National Food Security Strategy 2030 focuses on fish farming by developing projects with a production capacity of up to 4,000 tonnes per year using advanced technologies that suit the local environment, while ensuring the sustainability of marine fisheries, Dr al-Marri said, adding that the strategy also focuses on modern irrigation systems to improve water use efficiency through pilot projects to select appropriate irrigation systems, and to develop programmes to facilitate the transition to modern technologies.In regard to the regional trade centre establishment project, he explained that the project includes establishing a commercial centre in Qatar based on the advanced facilities of Hamad Port. The project aims to develop the infrastructure for storing and processing food commodities, improving supply and shipping chains, and enhancing competitiveness in regional and global markets, he noted, adding that the project is being implemented in co-operation with the private sector and international companies to exchange expertise and promote international trade.Dr al-Marri added that the Ministry of Municipality, represented by the Agriculture and Food Security Affairs Sector, provides support programmes for local production, including production inputs for farmers, fishermen, and livestock breeders, in accordance with the National Food Security Strategy 2030, a mechanism for allocating support and linking it to production outputs is also being developed to improve efficiency.He pointed to local production marketing initiatives such as agricultural product yards, purchasing, and marketing programmes in co-operation with Mahaseel Company, in addition to seasonal activities to market dates and vegetables and support the marketing of sheep and goats during Ramadan and Eid al-Adha. He also touched on the projects implemented within the previous National Food Security Strategy 2018-2023, indicating that they included vegetable production, sheep farming, fodder, and fish farming, adding that existing projects are being followed up to provide the necessary technical support.He affirmed that the most prominent challenges facing the previous strategy were the limited natural resources such as agricultural land and water, harsh climatic conditions, and the need for innovative technologies to maintain sustainability.Regarding current and future projects, he explained that efforts are focused on enhancing the flexibility of local production while monitoring the levels of self-sufficiency for Qatar’s strategic products, pointing out that, during the previous strategic plan, self-sufficiency was achieved in fresh poultry and fresh dairy products, indicating that the focus in the coming period will be on increasing local production of vegetables, red meat, fresh fish, and table eggs through the initiatives of the National Food Security Strategy 2030.