Qatar turned the threat posed by the unjust blockade into an opportunity and made significant strides in food security, it was highlighted at the 12th Qatar University (QU) Life Sciences Symposium that concluded yesterday.
The two-day event, themed ‘Food Systems and Technology: Advancing Food Production’, was hosted by the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences (DBES) at QU’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).
The symposium, which was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, aimed to create a transdisciplinary framework for knowledge, skills and exploration in food systems and technologies and provide opportunities for applied, problem-based learning in food systems, QU said in a statement.
The opening session was attended by CAS dean Dr Rashid al-Kuwari, DBES head Dr Radhouane Ben Hamadou as well as CAS faculty, staff and students.
The symposium featured four sessions: ‘Food Security: Challenges and Policies’, ‘Food Production Systems: Technologies and Innovation’, ‘Food Biotechnology’ and finally, ‘Food Safety and Quality’. 
The sessions included the presentation of more than 15 research papers from universities and institutions within and outside Qatar, and featured posters presented by students.
Dr al-Kuwari said of the event: “This symposium is one of many initiatives to support Qatar National Vision 2030 as food security, sustainable food practices and food systems are areas of increasing importance to Qatar and fall under the ‘economic and social’ pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030. It also reflects QU’s interest in scientific research as the nucleus of Qatar’s future development and prosperity. 
“Over the past years, the Life Sciences Symposium has discussed many topics related to the health of the individual and the environment, the marine environment, biotechnology, environmental pollution and others.”
“The importance of the QU Life Sciences Symposium stems from the interest of Qatar, the region and the world in the development of food production technologies. The embargo imposed on Qatar has increased the need for food security in the country through sustainable local food production and the strengthening of strategic reserves and economic reforms,” Dr al-Kuwari added.
Dr Hamadou added: “This event flourishes while Qatar is under a blockade imposed unilaterally by the neighbouring countries, which made Qatar adapt to and establish new sources as well as alternative and more sustainable supply routes for basic goods such as food and medicine. The negative impacts of the unjust blockade imposed by the four Arab states on Qatar were temporary and the economy managed to contain these impacts and come out of it very quickly. 
“Qatar turned this threat into an opportunity and, in the field of food security, new farms and food production and post-processing units just bloomed to cover part of the local needs for food commodities. It is nevertheless time to turn these initiatives into a sustainable framework joining policies to integrated initiatives for international trading (with sustainable partnerships), local food production and strengthening of strategic reserves in the country.”



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