Experts are to gather in Qatar on Thursday, October 4, for a workshop to discuss how artificial intelligence can be used to help the country attain better food security. The workshop is being hosted by Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Qatar Computing Research Institute for its new Qatar Center for Artificial Intelligence. 

QCAI Research Director Dr. Sanjay Chawla described food security as one of Qatar’s “highest priority areas”. 

While Qatar has significantly ramped up its domestic production of meat, dairy products and vegetables since a blockade was imposed against it in June 2017 – a large percentage of its food products are imported.

“The government of Qatar is ensuring that it has multiple sources from where food is acquired and that is has a robust supply chain for transporting food,” Dr. Chawla said. “We are confident that AI and big data will be instrumental in binding diverse threads of know-how which fall under the umbrella of food security.”

Experts attending the event will include Engineer Omar Ali Al Ansari, Secretary General of Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council, and a pioneer in establishing Qatar’s food security policy. Purdue University’s Professor Venkatesh Merwade, a global expert in water management, will give his insights into how to manage scarce water resources. A panel discussion will be moderated by Qatar Science and Technology Park’s Dr. Laoucine Kerbache, former dean of HEC Paris, a co-organizer of the workshop and an international authority on supply chains. Representatives from QTerminals, and major food producers and distributors Hassad Food Qatar and Baladna will also speak at the event.

The workshop, to be held at the HBKU Research Complex from 9 am, is being jointly organized with QSTP and the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute. For more information and to register, please visit qcai.qcri.org.