By Ayoub Khadaj
BEIRUT, Nov 3 (KUNA) -- Two Kuwaiti experts on Friday stressed the significance of improving the use of natural resources and protecting environment in order to promote economic potentials.
The experts made the call during an Arab forum on environment and development held in the Lebanese capital.
Abdelkareem Sadeq, a senior expert of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), said the fund, which deals with 106 development countries, attaches much attention to agriculture and food security as the key to fighting poverty and famine.
The provision of food security depends on agricultural policies that focus on production efficiency and land productivity as well as conservancy of natural resources, including arable land, he said to KUNA.
The future of food and water is contingent upon the way of using them, given that they suffer sharp pressure owing to unsuitable agricultural policies, negatively affecting land and water quality, he added.
Only over the last 10 years, Arab countries began to be aware of the importance of food security so they reversed some of their agricultural policies, he pointed out.
On his part, Secretary General of Kuwait Environment Protection Society Jenan Bahzad said the better use of natural resources, nature conservancy and introduction of clean industries would surely lead to better quality of life.
Environmental efficiency cannot contradict the economic feasibility and cost of environment protection, she said, adding that environment protection would reduce the bill of deterioration and reconstruction.
She underlined the necessity of setting out future plans and awareness and training programs, and applying law which would lead to resolving many administrative and technical problems.
Bahzad expounded on such major challenges as pollution, climate changes, overpopulation, natural resources, waste management and modern technology as well as biodiversity.
The Arab forum on environment and development kicked off in Beirut earlier on Thursday, with a Kuwaiti delegation attending. (end) ayb.mt