Khayr Qatarna, an initiative by Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First, has been showcased at AgriteQ, the leading agricultural innovations exhibition in the MENA region.

Khayr Qatarna, which launched in 2018, teaches secondary school students in Qatar valuable lessons about modern agriculture, healthy nutrition, food security, and commerce.

Under Khayr Qatarna, large-scale climate-controlled greenhouses have been installed at 14 secondary schools across Qatar, allowing students to learn how to plant, raise and harvest a wide range of crops including strawberries, cucumbers, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, colored peppers, red cabbage and green beans.

Nesreen Al-Rifai of WCM-Q met with dignitaries from Qatar and countries across the region at the AgriteQ exhibition, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey, and discussed the work of the Khayr Qatarna initiative.To share the success of Khayr Qatarna with the public, Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan brought a booth to AgriteQ 2022. Visitors to the exhibition were able to speak to Your Health First campaign staff to learn more about the initiative, sample produce grown in Khayr Qatarna greenhouses and discover the importance of food security and sustainability. During the exhibition, the Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan team was honored to receive a visit to the Khayr Qatarna booth from His Excellency Dr. Sheikh Faleh Bin Nasser Bin Ahmad Al Thani, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The Khayr Qatarna booth was also visited by senior dignitaries from countries across the region, including Saudia Arabia, Oman, and Turkey.

Nesreen Al-Rifai of WCM-Q met with dignitaries from Qatar and countries across the region at the AgriteQ exhibition, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Turkey, and discussed the work of the Khayr Qatarna initiative.

Nesreen Al-Rifai, Chief External Affairs and Development Officer at WCM-Q and the leader of the Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan campaign, said: “We were truly delighted and honored to receive a visit from HE Dr. Sheikh Faleh Bin Ahmad Al Thani during the AgriteQ exhibition. Qatar is emerging a world leader in innovation in the agricultural sector and we are extremely gratified that our Khayr Qatarna initiative is helping Qatar’s young people learn key lessons about modern agriculture, environmental sustainability, food security, 21^st century commerce and healthy nutrition. Our aim is that Khayr Qatarna will help endow Qatar with a younger generation that understands and appreciates the key roles agriculture, the environment and nutrition play in all of our lives, in accordance with the goals set out in Qatar National Vision 2030.”

All Khayr Qatarna crops have been granted the status of ‘Premium Products’ – an indication of their freshness and quality – by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment. The produce is sold to the community at local supermarkets, with all proceeds reinvested to expand Khayr Qatarna. Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan is the flagship public health campaign of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q).

The Khayr Qatarna booth at AgriteQ 2022.