Doha, Qatar: Under the patronage of HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, HE Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiyah inaugurated the 12th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition “Agrite Q2025” at the Cultural Village Foundation on Tuesday.

The exhibition’s opening was attended by HE Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, as the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment was selected as the guest of honor for this year’s event.

The opening was also graced by several ambassadors accredited to Qatar, along with senior officials from governmental institutions, as well as representatives from regional and international Agricultural organizations.

HE Minister of Municipality emphasized in his speech that this event reflects the State of Qatar’s commitment to fostering innovation and sustainable development in the Agricultural sector as it is one of the key pillars of comprehensive development in the country.

His Excellency also welcomed the participation of the United Arab Emirates as the guest of honor at the exhibition, noting that this participation reflects the strong fraternal ties between the two countries and strengthens their joint cooperation in the fields of Agriculture and food security.

His Excellency said this year’s edition holds special importance, as it comes after the launch of the National Food Security Strategy 2030, which represents a road map to enhance food security within the Qatar National Vision 2030, through the development of an integrated Agricultural system based on increasing local production, supporting farmers, strengthening international partnerships, and implementing innovative solutions to improve productivity and reduce food waste.

Over the past five years, he added, the State of Qatar has witnessed significant progress in Agricultural production, thanks to the joint efforts of the public and private sectors, with the country successfully achieving a 50 percent increase in the production of fresh vegetables, reaching self-sufficiency rates of 97 percent in dairy products, 98 percent in fresh poultry, and 33 percent in table eggs.

Additionally, pioneering initiatives such as protected Agriculture and modern irrigation systems have been implemented.

His Excellency touched on various projects launched by the State to support the Agricultural sector, including the Agricultural services project based on production planning, the marketing services project to raise the quality of the local product, the Agricultural digitization project in cooperation with “Hassad Food”, programs to reduce food waste in partnership with Qatar University, and analytical studies in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to improve marketing and pricing policies.

He stressed that the next stage requires intensifying efforts and enhancing investment in the Agricultural sector, encouraging innovation and qualifying national cadres to ensure a sustainable future for this vital sector, expressing his thanks and appreciation to HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for his generous patronage of the event, and appreciating the efforts of all participating and supporting parties to make the exhibition a success. 

HE Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak emphasized that the UAE’s participation as an honored guest in the exhibition reflects the depth of relations between the two countries and close cooperation in the fields of Agriculture and sustainable food security promotion.

She expressed her thanks to HE Minister of Municipality Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al Attiya for the invitation and well-organized exhibition, noting that the two countries share similar visions on environmental and climate issues, and ways to meet the challenges of climate change and achieve food security in the region.

She also pointed out that the meeting of the Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), chaired by Qatar last year, was a witness to this effective cooperation, adding that the Agricultural sector is a key pillar to achieve common goals, especially in light of environmental challenges such as water scarcity and lack of Agricultural land, which calls for concerted efforts to find sustainable solutions that support the Agricultural sector.

She added that the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition “AgriteQ 2025” embodies the commitment of the participating countries to develop the Agricultural sector through the exchange of experiences and the review of the latest practices and technologies, underlining the need to redouble efforts in light of the suffering of 2.4 billion people in the world from severe food insecurity, and 900 million people from severe food insecurity.

She underscored that the GCC countries have made advanced steps in the development of modern Agriculture systems, adding that the UAE seeks, through the “National Food Security Strategy 2051”, to be among the world’s leading countries in this field by 2051.

Her Excellency also reviewed some of the leading Agricultural projects in the UAE, such as the “Bustanica” farm in Dubai, which is the largest vertical farm based on hydroponics in the world, and the “AeroFarms AgX” farm in Abu Dhabi, the largest indoor vertical farm, as well as the launch of the national program “Plant the Emirates” and the National Agricultural Center to promote the culture of Agriculture and enable the private sector and society to contribute to its development.

Coinciding with the celebration of the National Environment Day in the UAE under the theme “Our Heritage … Our Future”, HE Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak underscored the importance of reviving traditional Agricultural practices and developing them in line with modern requirements, stressing that society is the main pillar to consolidate the culture of sustainable Agriculture.

In a related context, Her Excellency referred to the “COP28 UAE Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action”, which was supported by 160 countries, in addition to a joint project worth US200 million between the UAE and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to support small farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and enhance their ability to adapt to climate change.

She reiterated the UAE’s commitment to continue working to make Agriculture a key tool to eradicate hunger and promote Agricultural sustainability in the region, praising the role played by the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition “AgriteQ 2025” as a platform for exchanging experiences and innovative Agricultural solutions, inviting attendees to visit the UAE pavilion at the exhibition, which includes 8 government and private entities and 7 Emirati farmers, to explore the Emirati experience in the Agricultural sector.

Following the official opening of the exhibition, HE Minister of Municipality inaugurated the 12th edition of the Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition “AgriteQ 2025” and toured the exhibition sections and pavilions of the participating countries and entities, where His Excellency and the guests expressed their admiration for the exhibits and modern technologies, stressing the clear progress achieved by the Agricultural sector in the State of Qatar.

The exhibition program includes specialized conferences and seminars, most notably the Camel Forum, the Biotechnology Forum, as well as seminars on the latest Agricultural innovations and environmental sustainability.

The exhibition is also an important platform for expanding the horizons of Agricultural investment and strengthening trade relations and international cooperation.

AgriteQ 2025 is an opportunity to promote local production using modern Agricultural technologies, with a focus on rationalizing consumption habits to achieve better health and sustainability of the Agricultural sector, in a way that supports national efforts to meet the challenges of climate change, and provides an ideal platform for exchanging knowledge and sharing experiences among the leading specialists in the Agricultural field.