A top Berkshire Hathaway food security expert has called for Bahrain to follow in the footsteps
of Angola to achieve food security, where the company gives farmers seeds and tools and buys
their produce, “This helps create job opportunities and development within the country, and
that’s what we want to do in Bahrain,” Dr. Peter Jankovics, Regional Business Manager and
international food security expert at Berkshire Hathaway, told The Daily Tribune in an interview.
He also highlights that despite the growing need for food security, Bahrain has yet to prioritise
the development of a robust domestic food production sector.
However, experts here warn against following such paths, urging prioritisation of the
development of the domestic food production sector.
They argue that by investing in local food production, the country can enhance its food security,
reduce its reliance on imports, and provide its population with access to high-quality, affordable
food options.
Explaining further, Dr. Peter Jankovics says, “We give seeds and tools to Angola, and they
produce the product, which we then buy, creating job opportunities and development within the
country.”
“That’s what we want to do in Bahrain,” he adds, while calling for Bahrain to take a more
proactive approach to food security.
Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Jankovics points out that currently over 90 per cent of the
Kingdom’s food supply comes from other countries.
“This is a huge problem,” Dr. Jankovics underlines, saying, “We’ve come here to help, but
progress has been slower than expected.” He says the Gulf should address this issue with
urgency.
“In seven years, the population will double, and it’s growing faster than the food industry can
provide enough food,” he warned. He also urges caution against relying on cheap imports for
food security.
The expert noted that relying on cheap imported food items can also have negative health
consequences for the population.
“People usually don’t go for high-quality food items; they go for the cheapest ones.
But that comes with high medical bills, as the negative effects don’t show up immediately, but
rather in the next generation,” he explained.
The solution
To address these challenges, Jankovics highlighted the potential for Bahrain to forge
partnerships with companies like the Carrinno Group, Angola’s largest and fastest-growing
agricultural company.
Such collaborations could help strengthen local economies, create job opportunities, and
promote sustainable development.
“We produce everything from agriculture to commerce, including cotton, sugar, and rice, among
others. We have our own facilities to process what we produce, as well as our own shops.
Carrinho has also started exporting the products we make,” Jankovics said.