Work underway to boost ‘food security’ in Kuwait

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Plan to transform agriculture into industry

KUWAIT CITY, June 19: Work is underway on strategic projects that will enhance the food security system, in the short and long term; reports Al-Qabas daily quoting reliable sources, pointing out that the most prominent of these projects are included in the development plan — a shift towards establishing a sustainable economic farm project. Senior sources told the daily that strengthening the food security system is not an immediate issue or related to the current events and circumstances the world is witnessing, rather, it is one of the most prominent issues that Kuwait sought to solve, in light of the fact that Kuwait imports 95 percent of its food needs, which means finding solutions to reduce this percentage, and then achieve self-sufficiency is a pressing issue, noting that this is a constant concern, but global events have contributed to the intensification of efforts and the speed of work.

The sources pointed out that the sustainable economic farm project will transform the country’s agriculture into an industry that can be relied upon in providing food security, saying 53 percent of the project has been completed, and it is now in the operational phase at a cost of 3.5 million dinars. The sources indicated the time frame for the completion of the project is 2025.

However, it may be completed sooner than that, as a result of the actual need for such projects to enhance food security. The sources indicated that the project offers solutions to enhance food security through the use of modern technologies, especially with regard to protected agriculture, aquaculture, the use of renewable energy resources, and treated water in various facilities and constructions, to determine agricultural production models for different food commodities and agricultural crops developed mainly at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.

Project
According to the sources, the project aims to reduce the use of fresh water in agricultural production by using treated water, and to improve the efficiency of various agricultural practices in the production of crops, vegetables, fruits, animal production, fish and poultry through the use of modern technologies, in addition to stopping agricultural production losses by establishing modern warehouses and light industries, stop wasting energy use in agricultural facilities, and irrigate crops through the use of renewable and alternative energy.

The goals of the project include development of three units of greenhouses with high control of humidity, heat and lighting, and equipped with solar panels with an area of 6000 square meters; developing 6 lakes for sustainable aquaculture, using solar panels with an area of 3000 square meters; developing a recycling unit using agricultural waste; developing different models for agricultural, livestock and fish production, and using the integrated pest control model; production of feed using raw materials and developing specific models of agricultural production according to the required agricultural commodities.

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