Doha, Qatar: Qatar continues to make significant progress toward achieving comprehensive food security through advanced agricultural technologies and sustainable production systems.

In one of its latest initiatives, Hassad Food Company, Qatar's strategic investment arm in food and agribusiness sector, has launched an innovative experimental project that combines modern greenhouse techniques, humidity-based irrigation, and renewable energy solutions to increase local food production efficiency.

According to the Chief Communication & Commercial Affairs Officer at Hassad Food, Mubarak Rashid Al-Sahuti, the company is currently testing a new Korean technology for greenhouse covering materials that helps reduce internal temperatures.

“This technology lowers the heat inside greenhouses, which benefits plant growth by extending the production season. Instead of the usual four to five months, we expect the growing period to last significantly longer,” he explained while speaking to Qatar TV recently. The system is being evaluated using advanced sensors that monitor air and soil temperature, allowing the research team to assess its effectiveness at the end of the season and select the most suitable type for future expansion.

Al-Sahouti shared details about a unique pilot project for leafy vegetable production, developed in collaboration with one of Qatar's leading research centres.“This project is the first of its kind in Qatar. We aim to prove that our country is capable of producing the finest types of vegetables using modern, resource-efficient methods,” he said.

The project relies on irrigation through atmospheric humidity extraction. Specialised machines capture moisture from the air and use it for watering crops, creating a closed agricultural system that requires no chemical pesticides and only uses standard fertilisers.

“These leafy greens are literally grown from humidity in the air,” Al-Sahuti said, emphasising the innovation and sustainability of the approach.

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Each square meter of the greenhouse yields between 50 to 100 kilograms of leafy vegetables every nine weeks, depending on the crop type. The entire process is monitored through integrated digital control systems, with data accessible via tablets to ensure precision in irrigation, temperature regulation, and nutrient management.

“The early results are promising,” Al-Sahuti noted.“About 30% of the project's operations rely on solar energy, which supports Qatar's broader sustainability and environmental protection goals under the Qatar National Vision 2030.”

He added that these advancements are part of Hassad Food's wider strategy to strengthen Qatar's national food security framework, which encompasses sustainable production, advanced storage solutions, and diversified international investments.

“In Qatar, we have achieved full self-sufficiency in fresh poultry and dairy production and reached advanced levels in vegetable cultivation, achieving seasonal self-sufficiency in several crops.”

“However,” he continued,“food security is broader-it means ensuring that food is always available within the country, regardless of global disruptions. This requires robust storage infrastructure and diverse sourcing strategies.”

To this end, Hassad Food has established 25 advanced grain storage facilities across the country, with a total capacity exceeding 320,000 tons of wheat and barley-known as“the golden grains.” Each facility can store approximately 12,000 tons, ensuring Qatar's ability to secure its food supply during emergencies or global market fluctuations.

“These modern storage systems, built locally by Qatari expertise, offer higher capacity and better environmental control than traditional silos,” Al-Sahuti said.“The grains are continuously monitored, aerated, and tested to maintain premium quality.”

With projects like these, Hassad Food continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Qatar's agricultural innovation, sustainability, and food security resilience.

As Al-Sahuti concluded,“We have moved beyond mere self-sufficiency. Today, Qatar stands at a proud and advanced stage of true food security-where our nation's food supply is secured, sustained, and produced with innovation on our own soil.”

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