The Ministry of Municipality is all set to reap the benefits of several agricultural research projects that the ministry has been implementing for the last four years, an official has said.
Hamad Saket al-Shammari, director of the Agricultural Research Department at the ministry, told local Arabic daily Arrayah that the ministry will start getting the results of the projects this year. The projects, according to him, include schemes to improve date production as well as increase fodder production. Also the ministry has a project to raise the sustainable productivity of crops on the list.
“All indicators point to the success of this research, which was conducted in co-operation with many local and international agencies, in a way that enhances plans to achieve food security. The project to develop date production will contribute to prolonging the season to at least four months. Also, we have a project of developing palm irrigation methods in order to reduce the percentage of water wastage and achieve a balance by providing the plants with what they actually need in addition to facilitating pollination,” al-Shammari explained.
The project to raise the sustainable productivity of vegetables will also contribute to prolonging the tomato-growing season in the country by an additional month, and similar research is being carried out for cucumbers as well.
The official noted that the administration has published four scientific papers in a number of international scientific journals, while several brochures and pamphlets were also brought out for distribution among the public. The brochures were distributed to farm owners and those interested in agricultural affairs.
Al-Shammari noted that the completion rate of the date development project stood at 81% until the end of December and several experiments have been conducted as part of it. He said the ministry has introduced modern palm varieties with the aim of prolonging the fruiting period. This is done through the production of types that are produced before and after the usual production season, which results in prolonged the season to at least four months.
The project to raise the sustainable productivity of vegetables is 85% complete. “We have introduced 239 varieties of tomatoes and conducted research on them to choose the best among them that can withstand the weather conditions in Qatar. And these varieties will also work to choose what can bloom at a temperature of 27C. This will extend the tomato planting season to April instead of March as of now,” he added.
Hamad Saket al-Shammari, director of the Agricultural Research Department at the ministry, told local Arabic daily Arrayah that the ministry will start getting the results of the projects this year. The projects, according to him, include schemes to improve date production as well as increase fodder production. Also the ministry has a project to raise the sustainable productivity of crops on the list.
“All indicators point to the success of this research, which was conducted in co-operation with many local and international agencies, in a way that enhances plans to achieve food security. The project to develop date production will contribute to prolonging the season to at least four months. Also, we have a project of developing palm irrigation methods in order to reduce the percentage of water wastage and achieve a balance by providing the plants with what they actually need in addition to facilitating pollination,” al-Shammari explained.
The project to raise the sustainable productivity of vegetables will also contribute to prolonging the tomato-growing season in the country by an additional month, and similar research is being carried out for cucumbers as well.
The official noted that the administration has published four scientific papers in a number of international scientific journals, while several brochures and pamphlets were also brought out for distribution among the public. The brochures were distributed to farm owners and those interested in agricultural affairs.
Al-Shammari noted that the completion rate of the date development project stood at 81% until the end of December and several experiments have been conducted as part of it. He said the ministry has introduced modern palm varieties with the aim of prolonging the fruiting period. This is done through the production of types that are produced before and after the usual production season, which results in prolonged the season to at least four months.
The project to raise the sustainable productivity of vegetables is 85% complete. “We have introduced 239 varieties of tomatoes and conducted research on them to choose the best among them that can withstand the weather conditions in Qatar. And these varieties will also work to choose what can bloom at a temperature of 27C. This will extend the tomato planting season to April instead of March as of now,” he added.
