Al-Sowaidi giving his opening remarks at the 6th Annual Gulf Petrochemical Association (GPCA) Fertilizer Convention held in Dubai recently.
Qatari students from different universities in Doha with al-Sowaidi and other senior Qafco executives at the convention.

Fertilizer capacity in the GCC region grew to 40.8mn tonnes in 2014, a 3.8% increase over the previous year, earning revenues of $6.5bn, said Qatar Fertiliser Company (Qafco) CEO Khalifa A al-Sowaidi.
Industry experts believe that the sector must evolve in traditional and new export markets to realise its growth potential, he said, citing a report at the 6th Annual Gulf Petrochemical Association (GPCA) Fertilizer Convention held in Dubai recently.
In his opening remarks at the convention, al-Sowaidi said, “The global fertilizer demand is expected to rise in the next few years; so are the capacities across the world; so it is important that GCC expands its product portfolio as well as invests in research in process and/or products.  w“It is vital that we focus more on innovation in product and technology to achieve optimum production and stay ahead of our competitors.”
Commenting on the role of fertilizer producers in hunger alleviation, the Qafco CEO said, “Beyond doubt, the fertilizer industry is playing a major role in overcoming the ever-alarming food security challenge due to growing population and urbanisation by maintaining land fertility.
“Currently, 70-80% of the world’s food is produced using fertilizers, and being a responsible fertilizer manufacturer for more than four decades, Qafco is aspiring to have a leadership role in producing high-quality fertilizer, in a sustainable manner.”
Speaking on sustainability, one of the key themes of the convention, al-Sowaidi said, “Adopting a sustainable approach to fertilizer production is a fundamental pillar of the industry’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and product stewardship. Efficient production of fertilizers via operational improvements is the key towards improving fertilizer performance and efficiency, and in turn supporting nutrient efficiency.”
As part of Qafco’s Corporate Social Responsibility, the company leverages its influence among global institutions to provide opportunities for Qatari youth to develop their knowledge and have firsthand experience with the dynamics of the fertilizer industry.
Qafco used the convention to help Qatari students from different universities in Qatar gain insights into the fertilizer industry. The students got a firsthand knowledge about the industry from the stalwarts of the fertilizer industry.
Al-Sowaidi said, “Our strategic Qatarisation plan enables us to support the educational sector through partnerships and sponsorships, proactively supporting training and development of Qatari students.”
Dr Hamed al-Marwani, Qafco chief administration officer, said, “By sponsoring some of our Qatari students, we expect the students to have gained valuable experience by participating and interacting with the stalwarts of the industry at the convention.”
Ibrahim A al-Jaidah, public relations manager, said, “It has been a fantastic experience to have our students at the convention, and I hope they have had a lot to take back to their universities.”
The students represented different Qatari institutions like Qatar University, Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), College of North Atlantic- Qatar and Qatari graduate engineers studying in the UK will be participating in the convention.