The Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF), through its Family Empowerment Department, showcased six national productive projects (Home-Grown) at the 12th Qatar Agricultural Exhibition, held at Katara Cultural Village from February 4-8, in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality.

This participation underscores the MSDF's commitment to bolstering the national economy and promoting sustainable development. The ministry supports Home-Grown owners by developing their skills, connecting them with market opportunities, and facilitating their involvement in state-sponsored events. This support fosters entrepreneurship, particularly among Qatari families, with a focus on empowering women's economic contributions, and encourages local production and self-employment.

The diverse projects featured traditional dishes, healthy food, coffee, sweets, sandwiches, and agricultural products.

On her part, Eman Al-Kuwari, owner of Maamolee store, shared that her project specializes in healthy date-sweetened baked snacks.  Launched in 2015 as "Maamolee and More," Maamolee evolved into a Qatari brand offering individually packaged, portable snacks.  Al-Kuwari's inspiration stemmed from gifted organic flour, leading her to create healthy, convenient products. She emphasized the project's gradual growth, highlighting the importance of participating in state events like Darb Al-Saai for building a customer base.

A representative from Bastana, an online store offering home gardening supplies (seeds to harvest) with an emphasis on organic products, recycling, and conventional farming, explained that the business originated from the family's difficulty in finding suitable quantities of high-quality seeds and organic fertilizers for their own garden. Launched in May 2023, Bastana aims to provide all the essentials for sustainable organic home gardening, supporting Qatar's food security goals by promoting alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. 

The representative noted the challenge of raising awareness about organic products and recycling equipment but emphasized their dedication to productive organic farming and preserving Qatar's soil biodiversity.  They advised aspiring entrepreneurs to align their ideas with national needs and utilize available resources, stressing the importance of hard work and perseverance.

Fatima Al-Nuaimi, Director of the Family Empowerment Department at the MSDF, emphasized the value of exhibitions for marketing national projects.  She highlighted the "Home-Grown" initiative, which promotes sustainable production over consumption, and reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to supporting project owners.

The MSDF, through "Home-Grown," remains dedicated to supporting and empowering national productive project owners, fostering self-sufficiency in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.  The ministry strives to create permanent marketing platforms for these projects, ensuring sustainable income and contributing to Qatar's comprehensive development.