Ministry of Municipality, Qatar University sign MoU to study agricultural loss and food waste

The Ministry of Municipality and Qatar University signed a memorandum of understanding to implement a comprehensive study on identifying agricultural loss and food waste in Qatar, as part of the ministry's efforts to enhance co-operation with government and private institutions to achieve the goals of the National Food Security Strategy 2030 and translate its pillars into reality through multiple partnerships and agreements.The memorandum, which came during the launch ceremony of the National Food Security Strategy of the State of Qatar 2030, was signed by Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality Dr Masoud Jarallah al-Marri, and Dr Hamad Abdulrahman al-Ibrahim from Qatar University.Dr al-Marri explained that the National Food Security Strategy 2030, which was prepared in close co-operation with relevant authorities from the public and private sectors, aims to achieve sustainability and ensure food security for the country. He pointed out that this strategy is based on guiding principles that include promoting healthy and consumer habits, ensuring safety and quality, achieving environmental sustainability, adapting to climate change, and building effective partnerships.He added that the national strategy includes 17 initiatives distributed over three main pillars, supported by 146 measures to ensure effective implementation.The first pillar is local production and local markets, and aims to promote sustainable practices for local production, adopt effective methods to improve environmental sustainability, encourage investment and innovation in the field of local food, in addition to implement policies that stimulate trade, marketing and pricing.The second pillar focuses on strategic stocks and alert systems, as it seeks to improve and expand the strategic stock of food commodities, establish and manage a strategic stock of agricultural inputs, and develop central alert systems to monitor risks and response mechanisms.Meanwhile, the third pillar targets international trade and investment, focusing on enhancing capabilities in global trade, diversifying import sources, and supporting the competitiveness of local production. This will contribute to Qatar's access to additional international markets. Additionally, it aims to expand the storage facilities at Hamad Port, transforming it into a regional hub for food trade and manufacturing.Al-Marri emphasized that these pillars aim to build a sustainable food security system that meets the needs of the Qatari community safely and efficiently, thereby strengthening the country's position in achieving food security and sustainable development. (QNA)