Date: Oct 4th, 2018
Location: HBKU Research Complex Multipurpose Room
Objective: How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) help Qatar attain food security
Introduction: The United Nations defines the four pillars of food security as availability, access, utilization and stability. In the context of Qatar, it is availability and stability that are of particular concern. It is well known that Qatar imports over ninety percent of its food requirements. Thus Qatar needs to ensure that it has multiple sources from where food is acquired and has robust and redundant supply chain for transporting food to the country. Furthermore, to ensure long term availability of food, Qatar must adopt modern technology to grow food within its borders. In this context, the appropriate choice of crops, crop rotation and water management are key drivers to increase indigenous food supply. Another major issue of concern is climate change and its impact on the region. For example studies have shown that rainfall will become more scarce and that will have a deep impact in a region where water is already a flashpoint.
The aim of the workshop is to gather international experts who deal with different aspects of food security and local stakeholders to understand how modern data-driven AI technology can be used to ensure availability and stability of food in Qatar. Are they some international best practices that Qatar needs to emulate and are some local know-how in Qatar that the rest of the world should be made aware of ?
To register, click HERE.
Organizers:
- Dr. Husam Baalousha, QEERI
- Dr. Laoucine Kerbache, QF VP RDI's Office
- Dr. Mohamed Mokbel, QCRI
- Dr. Sanjay Chawla, QCRI
- Mr. Lokendra Chauhan, QCRI
- Ms. Nabeeha Fatima, QCRI
EVENT AGENDA
08:30
Registration & Networking with Light Breakfast
09:00
Opening Remarks, Introductions and Inviting the Speakers
Dr. Richard Kennedy, QF RDI; Dr. Ahmed K Elmagarmid; Dr. Sanjay Chawla, QCRI
09:15
Overview of Food Security in Qatar
Masoud Al Marri, Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Municipality and Environment
09:35
Water Resources Management Using Cyber Infrastructure & Computational Modeling
Prof. Venkatesh Merwade, Purdue University
10:30
Tea and Coffee break
10:45
Water Resources and Sustainability in Qatar
Dr. Husam Baalousha, QEERI
11:15
Demystifying Data Science
Dr. Seth Dobrin, Vice President and Chief Data Officer, IBM Analytics
11:45
Lunch break
01:00
Using Computer Vision to understand Food & monitor Agriculture
Dr. Ferda Ofli, QCRI
01:30
Smart Farming: A Case study from Taiwan
David Lin, IT specialist, Institute of Information Industry
02:00
Blockchain & Food Security
Prof. Tareq Al-Ansari, HBKU
02:30
Hassad’s role from the start of the blockade
Alnouby Salem Al Marri, Hassad Food Qatar
03:00
Tea and Coffee break
03:15 - 04:15
PANEL DISCUSSION:
Research Opportunities at the intersection of Food Security and Artificial Intelligence
CHAIR: Dr. Laoucine Kerbache, QF VP RDI
PANELISTS:
- Masoud Al Marri, Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Municipality and Environment
- Dr. Mohamed Mokbel, Chief Scientist and an expert in spatial data management, QCRI
- Prof. Venkatesh Merwade, Civil Engineering, Purdue University
- David Lin, IT specialist, Institute of Information Industry, Taiwan
- Dr. Husam Baalousha, QEERI