Doha: A project to plant one million trees in Qatar as part of the efforts to support the global initiative on climate change and sustainable environment was unveiled at the AgriteQ 2019 exhibition yesterday.

Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani inaugurated the seventh edition of Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition (AgriteQ 2019) and the First International Environmental Exhibition (EnviroteQ) at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC) yesterday.

The one million trees project aims at utilising treated sewage water for irrigation, reducing the wastage of water, enhancing biological diversity, improving air quality, increasing greenery to reduce carbon footprint.

The Minister of Municipality and Environment H E Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Subaie said that in recent years Qatar has paid great attention to the development of the country’s wealth, including agricultural sector.

The Minister pointed out that the Ministry has provided all means to support agricultural producers by distributing agricultural support materials, greenhouses, honey bee cells, and agricultural production requirements such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, marketing packages and others, while livestock breeders are supported by concentrated feeds and animal production requirements such as milk and sheep wool cutting machine among many more.

The Minister added that all these efforts have led to increased productivity of local vegetables, dates and green fodder, and increasing the number of animals and the breeders, and production of fresh chicken, table eggs, milk and dairy products.

Umar Salem Al Naimi, Director of the Department of Protection and Wildlife at the Ministry said that the initiative of planting one million trees will be run by the Department of Climate Change.

He said that the initiative is part of the efforts of environment protection sector at the Ministry which aims at involving the community in the efforts of the Ministry.