Qatar celebrates World Soil Day

DOHA: The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality, is celebrating the World Soil Day, that annually falls on December 5 each year....

DOHA: The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Municipality, is celebrating the World Soil Day, that annually falls on December 5 each year.

Held under the theme of rural soil care: measurement, monitoring, and management, the celebration intends to shine a spotlight on the importance of accurate data and information to figure out soil characteristics, as well as support insightful decisions on the sustainable management of soil, thereby fostering food security.

Qatar’s participation in marking this day stems from the Qatar National Vision 2030, that seeks to achieve sustainable development, including the preservation of environment and natural resources.

Director of the Agricultural Research Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Hamad Saket Al Shammari, said that the Qatari genetic seed bank currently includes 1,138 plant entries, comprising many local wild plants such as Al Ghaf Sidr, Awsaj and others, as well as plants related to food and agriculture, such as tomatoes, corn, onions, et al.

He highlighted that the key objective of this bank is to preserve seeds that are compatible with the soil and climate conditions in Qatar after conducting the necessary research on them.