Qatar hails success of new technology in the fight against food insecurity

Desert nation Qatar will use “cutting-edge technology” to grow up to 70 percent of its own vegetables by 2023 – a four-fold increase, officials from Doha’s biggest agricultural group said Tuesday.

The prediction comes after a successful two-year trial of the Zulal Oasis hydroponics project, which saw tomatoes grown in greenhouses without soil and using recycled irrigation water, by Hassad Food on farmland west of the capital, Doha.

A spokesperson for Hassad said the scheme could now be rolled out and could allow the country to register the huge increase in production of its own vegetables within eight years.ee

Currently, between 11 and 16 percent of vegetables are grown locally, depending on the season.

The trial focused on tomatoes but could be used to grow other popular vegetables in Qatar, including cucumbers, aubergines and courgettes.

Original article by AFP

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Qatar hails success of new technology in the fight against food insecurity