VITO contributes to the food security strategy of Qatar

As part of the continuous effort of the State of Qatar to increase its food safety and security levels, the Agricultural Research Department of the Ministry of Municipality has presented today the conclusions of the Project “Safe Use of Treated Sewage Effluent for the Irrigation of Fodder and its Impact on Meat and Dairy Products in the State of Qatar”.

The press conference has been opened with the introductory words of Mr. Hamad S. Al-Shamari, Director of the Agricultural Research Department, HE the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, William Asselborn and Mr. Arnoud Lust, CEO of VITO Middle East.

The project, which has been carried out by VITO Middle East LLC, the Qatar company of the Belgian sustainability research institute VITO, is a key milestone to expand the use of Treated Sewage Effluent for irrigation purposes in the State of Qatar – a vital resource considering the arid climate of the country and the related water scarcity.

In words of the Director of the Agricultural Research Department, Mr. Hamad S. Al-Shamari, “we are proud of having carried out this strategic project for the State of Qatar. The results support our strategy to expand the use of TSE for fodder irrigation, which will enhance our country’s food security levels”.

The project was signed in August 2019 and has been successfully completed in spite of all the challenges faced during its execution, especially the COVID-19 outbreak and all the related health and safety measures implemented. The solid collaboration between the Agricultural Research Department and VITO has been fundamental, according to VITO Middle East CEO, Arnoud Lust, “This is a very forward looking initiative of the Ministry to safeguard the health of the Qatari population and the environment, while maximizing the use of Treated Sewage Effluent, to preserve other water sources”.

The study clearly shows that the use of treated sewage effluent is perfectly safe for fodder irrigation purposes, since all the measured parameters are within safe limits – thus this valuable resource will continue being used extensively.

The conclusions of this unique project will be shared not only with the relevant stakeholders in the country but with the relevant authorities of the GCC countries, making Qatar a regional frontrunner in the field of wastewater reuse.