Assessing potential yields of selected vegetables and evaluating alternate management practices to improve Qatar's food security

Improving and sustaining Qatar's food security situation has remained a significant concern to the government of the country. This paper carried simulation yields of squash, using a FAO software (AquaCrop), and utilizing a 30-year climate information, with different values of water productivity; and compares them with measured yields from some Qatari farmers and from an Agricultural institute SAIC). The farmers' total yield for squash over two cycles was 16 t/ha; The SAIC farms reported a total squash yield of 30 t/ha. With efficient water, light and nutrient management practices, the simulated yield for squash was higher than the SAIC value.