Doha: The State of Qatar, through the Ministry of Municipality, is commemorating World Soil Day, which takes place annually on December 5. This year’s celebration revolves around the theme of rural soil care, emphasizing the importance of measurement, monitoring, and management to enhance soil characteristics and support sustainable management decisions, thus promoting food security.
According to Qatar News Agency, Qatar’s involvement in this global event aligns with its National Vision 2030, which aims to achieve sustainable development by preserving the environment and natural resources. Prioritizing soil care is integral to environmental protection and sustainable resource utilization while combating desertification. The Ministry of Municipality, particularly the Department of Agricultural Research, has achieved substantial progress in safeguarding Qatar’s soil and lands from degeneration, erosion, and desertification, focusing on protecting plant genetic resources and biodiversity through initiatives lik
e the national Gene Bank.
Hamad Saket Al Shammari, Director of the Agricultural Research Department, revealed that the Qatari genetic seed bank currently maintains 1,138 plant entries, including native plants like Al Ghaf Sidr and Awsaj, as well as food and agriculture-related plants like tomatoes, corn, and onions. The primary goal of the bank is to preserve seeds compatible with Qatar’s soil and climate conditions following thorough research.
Al Shammari also highlighted significant achievements in scientific research and development to enhance soil quality and productivity, employing advanced technologies to ensure and sustain food security. Collaborative efforts with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change since 2015 have led to biodiversity and soil protection successes, such as safeguarding the Qatari Al Ghaf at the Al Ghaf meadow in northern Qatar. The site underwent comprehensive research, resulting in an integrated plan to fence the area, remove invasive species like the Mesquite plant, and
explore effective methods for propagating Al Ghaf seeds. These initiatives improved the site’s environmental standards, increased vegetation density, and boosted the annual seed production of wild Al Ghaf trees.
Aisha Dasmal Al Kuwari from the Department of Agricultural Research noted that since its inception in 2012, the Qatar Gene Bank has studied and collected approximately 70% of local plant species as seeds, herbaceous plants, and DNA samples. She emphasized that plant genetic resources are crucial national assets with strategic and economic value, supporting human livelihoods by providing essentials like food, medicine, and energy, while also playing a vital role in environmental conservation and preventing soil degradation.
The Gene Bank follows a sophisticated system to manage and document genetic resources according to international standards, with data logged in the international database established in collaboration with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) in 2015, Al Kuwari
added.
Biotechnology and Genetic Resources Expert Dr. Elsayed M. Elazazi reported that the Qatari Gene Bank has amassed 1,138 samples from across Qatar, preserving over 9 million seeds under standard conditions, representing over 150 species and about 200 unique species. This effort focuses on vital domestic types that prevent land degradation and support sustainable management.
Additionally, Qatar has enacted a unified system for managing plant genetic resources within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states to protect the rights of GCC countries over their native plants and regulate the sharing of genetic resources among them.