QBG Delivers Education Program on Food Security for High School Students.
Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), has launched an ambitious Food Security program for high school students aimed at promoting the value of food security through motivating young people to engage with the State’s endeavors in meeting the community’s need for agricultural products.
The program encourages young Qataris to study subjects that address modern agriculture methods designed to make it easier to overcome environmental problems facing farmers and make investment feasible in the sector, especially in light of the ongoing blockade.
Mrs. Fatima Saleh Al-Khulaifi, Manager, QBG, said: “This important program takes in 60 students who have been nominated from 12 schools. The workshops have been designed to contain theoretical and practical content that meet all student expectations and ensures the information is easily relayed. The lessons are presented by experts in the field of agriculture from Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Qatar Development Bank, and Al Meera, in addition to others from the private sector.”
The QBG program is in accordance with the High Directives of His Highness the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on July 21, 2017, which directed that society, businesspersons, investors and government sectors work together to diversify sources of income, increase the pace of food security projects and increase the area of agriculture.
The program comprises 12 workshops focusing on modern agricultural techniques in Qatar; these include, Land preparation and processing for agriculture; Soil and its characteristics and the suitability of each type for certain types of agricultural crops; Identification of modern irrigation methods, and models being used in Qatar and other nations; Qatari climate conditions; Improved seeds and their vital role in agricultural developments; Integrated pest management (IPM); Plant nutrition for access to high yield; Opportunities and challenges of organic agriculture initiatives in Qatar; Hydroponics agriculture techniques.The program also aims to introduce trainees to the marketing mechanisms of Qatari agricultural products and the role in supporting food security in Qatar and identifying national initiatives to support agriculture in Qatar. QBG offers an educational field trip for students to learn about the country’s leading farms in agricultural production.
The first batch of the program, which began in October 2017 is due to conclude its training workshops with students by the end of January 2018. The second batch for girls will start from the first week of February 2018 and run to the end of April 2018.
