Doha, October 15 (QNA) - HE Executive Director of Global Dryland Alliance (GDA) Ambassador Bader bin Omar Al Dafa said founding the alliance comes as a response to the needs of the member states to develop solidarity initiatives that comply with its priorities, puts innovative financing methods for its programs and projects and generalizes the benefit of optimal innovative technologies, policies and applications to strengthen its food security.

In a speech addressed at the founding conference of the alliance in Doha on Sunday His Excellency said, since the start of humanity the search for food security remains to be the first concern for people as it is the foundation of life continuity and the construction of Earth. HE Al Dafa reiterated that food security remains to be the biggest threat to humanity, where in this era the world population increases by 200 thousand people a day, the world witnesses consequent climate changes, also witnesses disappearance of half of the world's forests, and the rapid diminishing of groundwater resources.

His Excellency said the pressure heightens due to the need of increasing the current agricultural production by 70 percent, in order to ensure feeding more than 9 billion people by 2050. HE Al Dafa said the expectations reveal that in the three upcoming decades, the world will witness an increase of shift in its nutritional needs from a focus on cereals and crops to consuming large numbers of meats, vegetables and fruits.

HE Al Dafa confirmed that these obstacles are more dangerous in the dryland nations, which are mostly developing countries and with limited resources, exposing them to the dangers of hunger and spread of epidemics more than others.

HE the executive director extended his thanks and gratitude to HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for his insightful vision to establish the alliance and for HH the Emir's support and follow up to the project.

HE Al Dafa said HH the Emir called on the importance to expand the coordination and consultation aspects with all relevant parties that are interested in food security such as countries, international and regional organizations and leading research centers, and for the alliance to complement the efforts of international organizations related to food security and to not be a competitive or repetitive entity.

His Excellency also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani for his financial and institutional support presented by the government of the State of Qatar to the alliance and promised to develop it in the future.

HE Al Dafa said the member states, international organizations, UN agencies and development banks supported and welcomed the initiative and participated in all the phases of preparing the referring documents and terms of GDA, he expressed his trust in the cooperation and participation with the entities will develop in the upcoming phases.

In a message to the conference, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the importance to set plans and strategies to fight climate change and food shortage Earth is facing, saying that millions of the world population live on drylands may face threats. Guterres recognized the founding of GDA and the members' commitment to its founding, wishing the initiative all the success. (QNA)