+ A
A -
Tribune News Network
Doha
The hydroponics technique being used in Qatari farms is helping farmers increase production and bringing the country closer towards ensuring food security, farm owners and experts say.
What's more, about 70 percent of water used in agriculture is being saved by using this technique.
Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in sand, gravel, or liquid, with added nutrients but without soil.
Farm owners say the use of the technique weeds outs costly processes such as plowing and weed removal and hastens early harvest, allowing farmers to grow many crops in one season.
Ali Ahmad al Kaabi, owner of Global Farm, said,"We supply the market with more than 30 tonnes of aquaculture products grown using hydroponics. The products include tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber, broccoli and pepper."
"Reducing water consumption is one of the advantages of hydroponics. Up to 70 percent of the water consumed in agriculture can be saved while maintaining the same production efficiency," Kaabi added.
Saeed al Balushi, a hydroponics expert, said the ongoing Gulf crisis has made farm owners adopt hydroponics as it is a better option to strengthen the agricultural sector due to high efficiency of production.
Balushi confirmed that some of the abandoned Qatari farms are being used again after the Gulf crisis. Farmers have also started using hydroponics to overcome the challenges of water scarcity and dry climate.
Eng. Hassan Mohamed Ali of Al Sulaiteen Agricultural and Industrial Complex said the facility produces about 30 kinds of vegetables grown in greenhouses and open fields. We have also introduced hydroponics technique in greenhouses to reduce water use while increasing production."
Fawaz al Qaryan, a hydroponics expert, said,"Hydroponics technique is the ideal solution to ensure food security, especially in desert areas, and it also saves water and increases agricultural production."
