Food Insecurity, Imminent Risk for Qatar

Although Qatar has achieved significant progress in reducing food insecurity, many challenges remain. The Arab blockade highlighted a few flaws in its plan, especially in the area of food security and its natural water resources. 

Qatar previously had no historical record and tradition in agriculture and still vulnerable in its food supply.

In the past decade, Qatar sought to diminish its heavy dependence on food imports and stimulate local food production, by launching the Qatar Food Security Program, but the initiative was abandoned as it failed to meet the ambitious goal of achieving 70 percent self-sufficiency in food production.

The limited arable land and water supplies make the further development of the agricultural industry increasingly difficult. According to a World Resource Institute study, Qatar is ranked as the most water-stressed country in the world.

Qataris introduced a new strategy of purchasing land abroad through Hassad Foods, a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund. However, these investments remain limited as they could not fully respond to the need of the food-security program, especially in the case of unpredicted geopolitical developments in the Gulf.

Experts warn that Qatari ambition to increase food production toward self-sufficiency would require a more systematic strategy on a national level as isolated examples of “green” or sustainable practices would not be enough to respond to growing water supply challenges.