Energy Minister HE al-Sada admires one of the fruit carving exhibits as al-Sowaidi, Dr al-Marwani and other dignitaries look on. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed.


By Peter Alagos/Business Reporter


The Qafco Flower & Vegetable Show 2015 was opened by HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada at the Al Banush Club in Mesaieed Friday.
Transformed into a two-day event for the first time, the 28th annual show will be open to the public Saturday also from 9.30am to 6pm.
The Minister lauded officials of the Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) for sustaining the annual event. Qafco chief administration officer and chairman of the show’s organising committee Dr Hamed al-Marwani explained that the flower and vegetable expo is not only an annual competition but is mainly Qafco’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme to engage the public in horticulture and environment protection.
“This CSR programme does not only advocate environmental sustainability by teaching people to go ‘green’ but also showcases the creativity skills of the participants through various recycling projects using everyday items,” he told Gulf Times.
Al-Marwani further explained that protecting the environment starts at home and in one’s own backyard.
“The flower and vegetable show also raises awareness on how the public can utilise their gardens and how to make their backyards productive by planting flowers, vegetables, and fruits," he stressed.
Qafco CEO Khalifa Abdulla al-Sowaidi explained that the show helps educate people on the uses of fertilisers, specifically the ‘friendly’ uses of fertilisers. It also teaches children how to take care of the environment and how to observe what is going on around them.”
On recycling, al-Sowaidi stressed that the practice is two-pronged: “We always encourage people to incorporate recycling in their daily lives and its positive effects on the environment. Aside from environmental protection and sustainability, recycling also brings out the creative skills of the participants of the event, especially among children.”
He added that the event also contributes to the growth of Qatar’s horticulture and agriculture industry.
“The event plays a significant role in Qatar’s horticulture and agriculture industry because 80% of food production depends on the manufacture of fertilisers. Ammonia was manufactured in 1907. If ammonia was not manufactured back then, today, half of the population will not be living today.”
“From ammonia, comes the production of amino acids, and this chain of amino acids comes protein, which is the most important compound for growth today,” al-Sowaidi explained while adding Qafco is responsible for 12% of traded urea worldwide.