Qatar Farms Can Increase Yields With Less Water: Agricultural Researcher

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Mahmoud Elmazaty | The Peninsula

Doha: Qatar's farms can increase local food production without simply expanding cultivated land by using water more efficiently, adopting modern farming techniques and selecting crops and seeds suited to the country's climate, according to agricultural researcher Yusuf Ahmed Al-Tahir.

Speaking on Al Rayyan TV, Al-Tahir said conserving water should be at the heart of efforts to improve farm efficiency and strengthen sustainable food production, particularly given Qatar's climate and limited natural water resources.

He said modern agriculture should focus on obtaining higher yields from every cubic metre of water and unit of cultivated land, rather than measuring progress primarily through expanding agricultural areas.

"The question is how I can utilise it for greater production, higher yields, lower costs and less water use," Al-Tahir said.

He noted that many local farms have already moved towards more controlled irrigation, including drip irrigation systems, while further progress requires determining more precisely how much water individual crops need.

Such an approach, he explained, can deliver sufficient water directly to plants while reducing losses through evaporation.

Al-Tahir also highlighted protected agriculture as another tool for increasing efficiency.

He said cooled greenhouses had been tested as a way of extending Qatar's agricultural production season, potentially allowing production from around October until June rather than ending in April.

However, technology alone is not enough. Modern agricultural systems can involve high costs and require considerable technical and operational expertise, he said.

Another important area is developing and identifying seeds capable of producing good yields while consuming less water and withstanding Qatar's climatic conditions.

Al-Tahir called for agricultural research and a seed bank focused on varieties suited to the local environment, warning that a crop variety successful in another country may not necessarily perform equally well in Qatar.

He cited his own experience with a cucumber variety recommended by an expert abroad that performed differently once exposed to Qatar's conditions.

"We need a laboratory and an agricultural bank for suitable varieties that fit our environment," he said.

Al-Tahir also pointed to vertical farming and other non-traditional production systems as potential ways to obtain greater output from available agricultural land.

Better coordination among farms, he said, is equally important to avoid producers growing excessive quantities of the same crops at the same time.

He highlighted the role of Mahaseel in organising agricultural production plans and marketing. Under the system, farms can register what they intend to grow and expected production quantities, helping coordinate how produce will subsequently reach the market.

Al-Tahir said five major vegetable products currently receive state support: tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, hot peppers and eggplants. Mahaseel works with participating farms on production plans and anticipated quantities to facilitate marketing and reduce the burden on individual farmers of finding outlets for their produce.

He stressed that Qatar cannot eliminate food imports altogether, but better coordination between domestic production and imports during peak local growing periods can help protect local farmers while ensuring adequate supplies for consumers.

Al-Tahir said sustainable agriculture ultimately requires a combination of efficient water management, research, technology, agricultural guidance and organised production.

For Qatar, he said, protecting water resources remains the most important element of that equation.

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