The Ministry of Municipality & Environmental (MME) has recently created a Food Security Department with the aim to enhance food security in Qatar, by focusing on increasing fresh local food production in vegetables, fish, milk and meat.
On Friday 3rd May 2019, Fera Science and APHA welcomed MME at the National Agri-Food Innovation Centre in York to discuss how the UK Defra agencies can support the new Food Security Department.
Scientists at Fera and APHA discussed various topics throughout the day including animal diseases, crop health, protection & biosecurity, environmental contamination and food & feed risks. MME also enjoyed a tour of Fera’s facilities, including the mesocosm and new aquatic ecotoxicology laboratory.
Masoud Jarullah Al Marri, Head of the newly created FSD said: “The Food Security Department will work as an umbrella organisation under which all food security programs will be implemented in collaboration with the department concerned like agriculture, animal and fish.”
“The Department will prepare a complete food security programme to achieve the state goals in this regards.” said Masoud Jarullah Al Marri, adding the Department will monitor and follow up all programmes and projects of food security.
Al Marri is also the Executive Secretary of the Committee for Monitoring the Implementation of Food Security Policies in the Public and Private Sector of Qatar.
