Global counsel conference puts spotlight on tech solution for MENA food crisis

Global counsel conference puts spotlight on tech solution for MENA food crisis

Doha: Global Counsel, a leading strategic advisory firm in Doha, hosted its inaugural policy conference under the title ‘The Role of Food Technology in Food Security’ yesterday at the Park Hyatt, Msheireb. The conference gathered high-level panellists and prominent professionals from Qatar’s food and agricultural sectors to discuss issues in the global food supply chain, water scarcity and its impact on Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and pathways to achieving food security in the region.

The panel featured Hamad Hadi Al-Hajri, Deputy Director of the Food Security Department at the Qatar Ministry of Municipality; Wafaa AlSaffar, Environment, Social and Governance Director at Baladna Food Industries; Bjoern Witte, the CEO of impact investment firm Blue Horizon Group; Jamie Burrows, Founder and CEO of vertical farming technology and R&D company, Vertical Future. The panel was moderated by Ahmed Helal, Director of Global Counsel’s MENA practice.

Commenting on Qatar’s vision for food security, Mr. Hamad Hadi Al-Hajri said: “The national food security strategy aims to improve Qatar’s self-sufficiency rates across a range of key food categories by utilising the advanced technologies, suitable to our unique climate in Qatar and the GCC, to improve our agricultural practices. These have allowed our food system to become