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Under the Patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia<\/p>\n
\nThe inaugural MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit, hosted by Goumbook\u2019s MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, The Summit, as the first dedicated platform for regenerative agriculture of its kind in the Middle East, North Africa, and T\u00fcrkiye region (MENAT), convened over 150 regional and global stakeholders \u2014 including policymakers, academics, innovators, investors, and civil society \u2014 to chart a unified path toward a sustainable, regenerative, climate-resilient food systems.
\nIn partnership with HSBC, Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), EIT Food, the United Nations Climate Change High Level Champions Team and the Saudi Agrifood Tech Alliance (SAFTA), delivered a powerful call to action to scale regenerative agriculture in the MENAT region.
\nCentered around the theme “Cultivating Soil Capital: Regenerative Food Systems & Nature-Based Solutions,” the day-long event featured high-level keynotes, expert-led panel discussions, a regional consultation, the live pitch finale and reveal of the three winners of Goumbook\u2019s Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme, which spotlighted the Cohort 2024\/2025 finalists\u2019 science and research based innovations in food systems.
\nDr Zeyad AlZeyadi – General Manager of Partnerships and Capacity Building, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEWA KSA) said, \u201cIt was an honor for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) to serve as a patron of the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit 2025. This summit marked a valuable milestone in advancing regional dialogue on sustainable agricultural practices and ecosystem restoration.
\nThe quality of discussions, the diversity of participants, and the solutions-oriented agenda created a powerful platform for collaboration. I was pleased to take part in the closed session discussions, where we explored innovative approaches to soil health, food system transformation, and regenerative practices suited to the region\u2019s climate challenges.
\nMEWA also had the opportunity to present key national initiatives that support the transition toward sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to continuing the momentum generated by this summit and building stronger partnerships across the MENAT region.\u201d
\n\u201cWe were honored to join the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit as an Impact Partner\u2014a groundbreaking step toward reimagining agriculture in one of the world\u2019s most challenging regions.
\nThis summit wasn\u2019t just an event\u2014it was a collective call to action. It brought together leaders, visionaries, and changemakers to forge real solutions for climate resilience, food security, and ecological renewal across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey.
\nAt The Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance, we believe that true leadership means building bridges across sectors, nurturing innovation, and empowering communities. We are proud to have contributed to a platform that reflects those values and sets a powerful precedent for future collaboration and impact. Together, we are planting the seeds for a more sustainable and regenerative future.
\n-Eng. Rakan AlOtaibi, Secretariat Director of the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance
\nKey Highlights:
\n\u25cf Royal Endorsements & Leadership: Opening remarks were delivered by HRH Princess Mashael AlShalan and HRH Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud, cofounders of Aeon Collective highlighting the critical role of regional leadership in advancing nature-positive strategies.
\n\u25cf High-Level Panels tackled urgent topics including shaping supportive policy frameworks, scaling accessible innovation, unlocking catalytic financial mechanisms, and highlighting successful case studies in regenerative agriculture, to enable climate-resilient agriculture; with expert voices from Estidamah, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations(FAO), International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI-CGIAR, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).EIT Food, Earthna- Qatar Foundation and UN Climate Champions among others.
\n\u25cf Top Innovation Demo & Exhibition: 20 shortlisted solutions from Goumbook\u2019s Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme cohort 2024\/2025 were showcased in a live exhibition, with 5 finalists pitching their projects on-stage. The top three winners were awarded grants and support to scale their innovations across the MENAT region.
\n\u25cf Reveal & Awards Ceremony of the Top 3 winners of Goumbook\u2019s Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme cohort 2024\/2025, who received $20,000 in grants each, mentorship, incubation opportunities and additional support from the enabling ecosystem of partners that contribute to the initiative; all aimed at supporting them to scale their innovations towards greater social and environmental impact.
\nThe winners:
\n\u25cf Actinobacteria \u2013 Isolation and characterisation of water stress tolerant actinobacteria for arid soils, Omaima MARHANE, Morocco
\n\u25cf Farm to 2Fs (Fuel and Fertiliser) – Anaerobic Digestion converting animal waste into bioenergy & fertilizer, Dr. Budour A. Alghamdi, Eng. Wafa A. Alrasheed, Dr. Adil E. Abdelnour, Estidama, KSA
\n\u25cf RedDot \u2013 RNA-based selective control for Red Palm Weevil, Teodoro Garcia-Millan, Fran Robson, Veronica Greco, UK
\nRegional Consultation Outcomes: A closed-door session brought together high level select to lay the foundation for a regional collaboration across key priorities with the aim to develop a regenerative agriculture framework that positions MENAT as a global seedbed of innovation and a center of excellence for arid land agriculture and climate-resilient food systems.
\n\u25cf The insights from this session will be published in an upcoming Outcomes & Insights Paper, serving as a regional blueprint for action, guiding the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative\u2019s next phase and reinforcing the region\u2019s leadership at the intersection of climate, food, and land restoration.
\nThis landmark event is the result of Goumbook\u2019s rapidly growing MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative, launched in December 2023 with partners including HSBC, SAB, EIT Food, and the UN Climate Change High Level Climate Champions Team. The initiative has already engaged interest from over 660 innovative research & science-based solutions, from 80 research institutions, and 65 countries, and fostered a dynamic network of cross-sector partners.
\n\u201cThis summit represents a major milestone in our journey to regenerate ecosystems and transform agriculture in water-scarce regions,\u201d said Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder and Managing Director of Goumbook. \u201cIt is clear from today\u2019s dialogue that the MENAT region holds immense potential to lead the way in regenerative solutions, as a seedbed of innovation and a center of excellence for arid, desert and climate resilient agriculture.\u201d
\nAs the summit closed, Goumbook reaffirmed its commitment to building an enabling ecosystem that connects science, innovation, policy, and finance \u2014 paving the way for towards transformative food systems within a regenerative future for the\u00a0MENAT\u00a0region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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