Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hassad Food aimed at enhancing innovation in the food and agriculture sector in Qatar. The MoU was signed by QRDI Council secretary-general Omar Ali al-Ansari and Hassad CEO Mohamed al-Sadah recently.
The MoU with Hassad Food is one of several initiatives planned by QRDI Council in 2021, as driven by the mission of the National Research, Development and Innovation Strategy. The strategy supports the country’s broader goal of building a knowledge-based economy, as stipulated by Qatar National Vision 2030. The partnership aims to identify opportunities for innovation that support the food and agriculture sector in Qatar and the models appropriate to leverage that innovation, according to a press statement.
Al-Ansari said, “This MoU furthers our efforts to support the sustainable management of Qatar’s environmental, food and water resources through innovation and technology. We recognise that certain challenges faced by the food and agriculture sector in Qatar are unique to our conditions and therefore cannot be addressed by simply using off-the-shelf solutions. This is where innovative products and services, developed by our local RDI ecosystem, can play a key role.”
Al-Ansari also noted that QRDI Council will work closely with large local enterprises such as Hassad to create opportunities and an early marketplace, that will incentivise new and existing private sector entities such as local and international startups, SMEs and multinational companies to develop innovative solutions.
This will be done by identifying unique challenges, opening facilities for piloting of new technologies and creating mechanisms for co-development of technologies. These private sector entities will be supported by Qatar’s knowledge institutions with talent, technical know-how and specialised equipment."This is part of our drive to create the ecosystem conditions required for the emergence of new R&D intensive industries central to a knowledge-based economy."
For his part, al-Sadah said: “It is our pleasure to sign this MoU with QRDI, as we constantly seek to support the local innovation efforts, with the aim to advance the local agriculture sector and achieve self-sufficiency.”
The MoU with Hassad Food is one of several initiatives planned by QRDI Council in 2021, as driven by the mission of the National Research, Development and Innovation Strategy. The strategy supports the country’s broader goal of building a knowledge-based economy, as stipulated by Qatar National Vision 2030. The partnership aims to identify opportunities for innovation that support the food and agriculture sector in Qatar and the models appropriate to leverage that innovation, according to a press statement.
Al-Ansari said, “This MoU furthers our efforts to support the sustainable management of Qatar’s environmental, food and water resources through innovation and technology. We recognise that certain challenges faced by the food and agriculture sector in Qatar are unique to our conditions and therefore cannot be addressed by simply using off-the-shelf solutions. This is where innovative products and services, developed by our local RDI ecosystem, can play a key role.”
Al-Ansari also noted that QRDI Council will work closely with large local enterprises such as Hassad to create opportunities and an early marketplace, that will incentivise new and existing private sector entities such as local and international startups, SMEs and multinational companies to develop innovative solutions.
This will be done by identifying unique challenges, opening facilities for piloting of new technologies and creating mechanisms for co-development of technologies. These private sector entities will be supported by Qatar’s knowledge institutions with talent, technical know-how and specialised equipment."This is part of our drive to create the ecosystem conditions required for the emergence of new R&D intensive industries central to a knowledge-based economy."
For his part, al-Sadah said: “It is our pleasure to sign this MoU with QRDI, as we constantly seek to support the local innovation efforts, with the aim to advance the local agriculture sector and achieve self-sufficiency.”
