Vertical Farming To Boost Qatar’s Food Security Strategy

“By identifying key elements, Nongshim is making vertical farming less human-intensive and easier to maintain through its subsidiary, Nongshim Engineering,” said a manager at the Seoul-based firm, as quoted by reports.

Vertical farming, addresses several food security issues, given that it takes up less space, water, and pesticides.

Qatar’s greenhouse market to jump up to US$309 million by 2027. Last year, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), the country’s sovereign wealth fund, agreed to back Dutch indoor farming startup Infarm with US$200 million, The leading farming company is set to establish its first centre in Doha in 2023.

Qatar’s fertile land attracts global farming companies and, Nongshim is one such firm looking to play a key role in providing vertical farming technology to interested entities, as well as the training of personnel . Through its cooperation agreement with Star Farm Enterprise in the United States, Nongshim would potentially provide training programmes to educate and certify essential actors in vertical farms that would be eventually set up in Qatar.

Agriculture was high on the agenda during South Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum visit to Doha in March.

In 2021, Qatar launched its national agricultural project, a move that was seen as another milestone in the country’s self-sufficiency plan. The project was developed through an aquaponic system, which utilises aquaculture and hydroponics.The first approach involves raising aquatic animals and the other cultivates plants in water.

The project’s production capacity is expected to reach 32,000 tonnes per year and applies to the horizontal farming system. The adopted system replaces regular soil and fertilisers with another type that is produced by fish.

Qatar’s greenhouse market growth is forecast to reach US$ 309.2 million by 2027, according to a report by leading market research company  IMARC Group.The Qatar greenhouse market’s value reached US$ 137.2 million in 2021.

Greenhouses are used to provide an environment for crops to grow efficiently despite challenges caused by climate change using advanced technologies that increase the shelf life of crops.

Doha has been increasing its support to its farmers through the launch of agricultural initiatives and providing services and support across different local farms.

In the last five years, the Qatari ministry distributed 5,777 greenhouses to farm owners to speed up its production.