DOHA: The 26th meeting for GCC agricultural cooperation committee, which was held Saturday in Doha, aimed to achieve more progress in all areas of the agricultural field within a comprehensive agricultural vision that targets a sustainable agricultural development, HE Ahmed bin Amer Al Humaidi, Minister of Environment, made the remarks as he opened the meeting.
To achieve that sustainable development, the minister said, the committee must follow up on efforts to tackle the challenges of increasing demand for food due to the growing population, the decreasing arable land, climate changes that led to rain scarcity, and the deterioration of water resources.
The meeting's agenda includes several important subjects that aim to develop mutual agricultural work in the agricultural, livestock and fisheries sectors, the minister added.
In turn, Abdullah bin Juma Al Shibli, GCC assistant secretary general for economic and development affairs, gave a speech before the attendees, in which he thanked the Emir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani; Deputy Emir HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani and GCC leaders for their constant support to the path of GCC mutual action on all fronts in general and the agricultural one in particular.
He wished continuous progress and prosperity for the government and people of Qatar under the wise leadership of HH the Emir.
Al Humaidi stressed the importance of the issues discussed by the ministers in order to boost cooperation and integration among GCC states in all fields of the agricultural sector.
He added that a mechanism was agreed in relation to veterinary medications and vaccines and the exchange of domestic expertise among member states, noting that these subjects were referred by the undersecretaries for today's meeting.
On the environmental situation in Qatar, the minister said the state pays special attention to the environment and has amended all related legislations and added new ones such as the law on fishing that aims to protect fisheries.
He noted that there is a plan to put in a single system all the sites and stations responsible for monitoring air in order to maintain air quality.
In response to a QNA question about the ministry's contribution to achieving self-sufficiency in a number of areas in the agricultural sector, Al Humaidi said the ministry is keen on this subject and there is a complete strategy for it.
As for the health of livestock, he said the ministry is closely watching the diseases that affect livestock and provides the necessary vaccines as well as instant treatment. He added that the state subsidizes fodder and provides veterinary medications.
QNA
