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Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and the Gates Foundation have committed to a grant agreement unique to the region on the sidelines of Doha Forum 2025. The document was signed by HBKU’s President, Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah, and Joe Cerrell, Managing Director for the Gates Foundation, in the presence of Bill Gates, Chair and Board Member, Gates Foundation.

Under the four-year funding agreement, the Gates Foundation will provide $1.8 million to the university. The grant will support pioneering research led by HBKU’s Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) to develop animal feed products from crop residue, improving productivity of small-scale livestock producers.

Reflecting the university’s strategic focus on circular agriculture in dry and arid regions, the new solution delivers a scalable process producing feed for less than $100 per ton. Besides supporting affordable, decentralized manufacturing, it also addresses food security constraints, encourages sustainable resource management, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, while advancing agricultural efficiency.

The purpose-driven collaboration brings together two renowned institutions committed to advancing global development and the common good. For HBKU and Qatar Foundation, it supports Qatar’s long-term resilience and societal prosperity, as well as their role as drivers for impact-driven innovation serving local, regional, and global needs. The HBKU patented technology already positions Qatar as a global leader in sustainable feed production. For the Gates Foundation, the agreement reinforces a shared ambition to support solutions that improve lives, particularly in regions facing acute climate and resource pressures.

HBKU’s research directly contributes to building circular agriculture systems by reducing waste and maximizing the value of existing resources. By integrating scientific research, technological innovation, and collaboration, the outcomes will address national priorities such as the sustainable approach to critical resources and food security systems. Its positive impact will also extend beyond Qatar, however, as lessons and technologies will be adaptable to farming across the Global South. This includes the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

“The Gates Foundation is delighted to be partnering with Hamad Bin Khalifa University on this important adaptation research. Farmers are responsible for feeding communities, but they are working in the toughest conditions imaginable, so this is a vital project to support them in turning residue crops into quality animal feed. We hope that by working with farmers to develop this innovation, we will ensure more food is produced to feed people and in turn help build the resilience of the global food system,” said Managing Director at the Gates Foundation, Joe Cerrell.

Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah, President of HBKU added: “We are pleased to collaborate with the Gates Foundation in advancing innovative solutions that support sustainable food systems and generate meaningful economic impact for Qatar, the wider region, and the Global South. This agreement marks a significant milestone for research led by a Qatari university and underscores Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s commitment to delivering tangible, positive outcomes through world-class research.”

By uniting HBKU’s research capabilities with the Gates Foundation’s global development reach, the agreement is a decisive step toward food security and sustainable growth across some of the world’s most vulnerable regions. In the mid- to long-term, the model could positively shape land use, food trade, and public health policy, as well as future-facing investment decisions.