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

Noora Al-Abdelmalek, Murat Kucukvar (), Nuri C. Onat, Enas Fares, Hiba Ayad, Muhammet Enis Bulak, Banu Y. Ekren, Yiğit Kazancoglu and Kadir Ertogral
Additional contact information
Noora Al-Abdelmalek: Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Murat Kucukvar: Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Nuri C. Onat: Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Center, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Enas Fares: Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Hiba Ayad: Engineering Management, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
Muhammet Enis Bulak: Department of Industrial Engineering, Uskudar University, Istanbul 34662, Turkey
Banu Y. Ekren: School of Management, Cranfield University, College Road, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
Yiğit Kazancoglu: Department of Logistics Management, Yasar University, Izmir 35100, Turkey
Kadir Ertogral: Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 7, 1-13

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.

Keywords: supply chain resilience; food security; global food trade; diversification; sustainability; multi-region input-output analysis; database management system; data visualization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/5755/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/7/5755/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:7:p:5755-:d:1107321

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().