Transforming Challenges into Opportunities for Qatar's Food Industry: Self-Sufficiency- Sustainability- and Global Food Trade Diversification

Abstract

Food trade restrictions pose a serious risk for countries that are heavily reliant on food imports potentially leading to food crises inequality and geopolitical conflicts on a global scale. However such restrictions may also have transformative effects in promoting food supply chain resilience security and self-sufficiency. In this study a novel econometric analysis is presented utilizing a data-driven analytical model to investigate the impact of a food embargo on the industry using Qatar as a case study. A structured and automated food trade database is created using Microsoft Management Server Studio and data visualization software is integrated for automated data discovery. By using a global trade-based sustainability assessment model which combines the multi-region input-output (MRIO) analysis with transportation mode-based (sea road and air) emissions the carbon footprint of the dairy food production sector could be estimated. The study shows that the trade embargo on Qatar's food industry can lead to significant reductions in the annual import of food products promoting self-sufficiency and reducing the net carbon emissions of the dairy food sector by nearly 40%. This reduction is not only achieved through food supply chain changes such as transportation modes but also by restrictions pushing the country to increase domestic production. Overall the study demonstrates that a trade embargo with the support of a well-designed national food security strategy trade/import diversification and the use of different modes of transportation for food products can improve the resilience of global supply chains self-sufficiency and environmental sustainability.