Qatar's 5th International Agricultural Exhibition (AGRITEQ 2017) concluded Saturday in Doha. 
AGRITEQ 2017 has been widely praised by local, regional and international exhibitors for its pivotal role as an ideal platform to support the agricultural sector and to promote its development as one of the pillars of food security. 
More than 100 local, regional and international companies from the agriculture sector participated in this edition of the exhibition, while the Ministry of Municipality and Environment had an active participation and a strong presence, in a step that confirmed the government's keenness to support and empower local agricultural projects, utilizing the best international practices and the latest technological innovations in the world of agriculture. 
The exhibition was an important platform for strengthening the Gulf and international efforts to develop the agricultural sector. The international agricultural event contributed to the development of the agricultural market in Qatar by marketing local products and providing agricultural consultations, in addition to exploring options to meet the emerging challenges and employ the current opportunities to advance agricultural development in the State. 
The exhibition witnessed the presentation of a range of the latest agricultural products and technologies signed by the world's leading agricultural companies, as well as providing everything new in the fields of irrigation systems, livestock farms, dairy, horticulture, poultry feed, veterinary products and fish farms. 
Exhibitors stressed the importance of the 5th Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition because it was an important platform where participants learned about effective solutions to promote optimal investment in agricultural projects and livestock production. They emphasized that the event's importance stems from being a strategic platform for enhancing effective communication between decision makers, government officials, producers, suppliers and pioneers of the agricultural sector, to establish fruitful strategic partnerships, particularly between Qatari and international companies to launch quality projects. 
Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs at the Ministry of Municipalities and Environment, HE Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al-Thani, the Chairman of the Steering Committee for the organization and supervision of the exhibition, said that participation in this event reflects the growing confidence in the Qatari agricultural market. He stressed that the AGRITEQ 2017 succeeded to attract the attention of the elite of international companies and encourage them to launch promising projects that promote the local agricultural sector in order to become a key player in achieving the objectives of the policy of economic diversification adopted by the state and balance between comprehensive development and environmental sustainability In line with Qatar National Vision 2030. 
He added that AGRITEQ has once again demonstrated its pioneering role as an ideal platform for sharing the best experiences and the most successful experiences in the field of agriculture, as well as identifying optimal solutions to meet current and potential challenges and appropriate mechanisms to cope with emerging trends. 
The AGRICTEQ 2017 coincided with the growing boom in the local agriculture sector, with intensive efforts to boost its contribution to the country's GDP to more than 4 percent annually, in line with Qatar's economic diversification policy in the context of its National Vision 2030, which sets a roadmap for a knowledge-based economy and for building an advanced society capable of achieving inclusive development and environmental sustainability. 
The event witnessed the launch of the Business Convergence Platform, which enabled participants to identify a range of pre-agreed meetings with leading officials, decision-makers and industry leaders. The latest trends and opportunities in the Qatari market were discussed. 
The exhibition program also featured a series of interactive workshops, which provided an important opportunity for participants to test the latest technologies and learn international best practices, as well as an auction that allowed participants to showcase their livestock to farmers and farm owners who want to purchase these animals at competitive prices. 
Several awareness-raising events were also held, most notably the children's educational theater, which highlighted the importance of agriculture in achieving food security in an interesting and attractive fashion. 
The activities also included the reveling a range of state-of-the-art agricultural products, technologies and solutions, including agricultural equipment, requirements for food industry, animal and veterinary production, crop management techniques, artificial lighting systems, shop design, greenhouses, irrigation and ventilation systems, logistics and advisory services, as well as storage and water treatment solutions. 
Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Fisheries Affairs at the Ministry of Municipalities and Environment HE Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser Al-Thani honored a number of Qatari charities and humanitarian organizations for their efforts in distributing quantities of Qatari farm dates for the needy people.

Source: QNA