3 winners chosen from 158 registrations
Innovators from the UAE, KSA and Egypt emerge victorious
Winners to receive a grant and enter into an ecosystem of support to help them scale for impact
On the occasion of the International Day of Biological Diversity, Goumbook, a leading social enterprise accelerating sustainability and climate action, announced the winners of its inaugural MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme.
The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme aims to foster innovation through research, science and nature-based solutions matched with entrepreneurship, in the domain of regenerative agriculture solutions in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey (MENAT) region. The ceremony marks a milestone in advancing the region’s regenerative agriculture practices.
The shift towards regenerative agriculture in the MENAT region is gaining momentum, this is reaffirmed with The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme receiving over 158 applications from 18 countries, showcasing solutions from the region.
The MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme embodies the spirit of collaboration and innovation that is essential for addressing the pressing agricultural, food security & climate change challenges of our time, through research and science. We congratulate the winners and all those who participated from 18 regional countries, and their invaluable contribution to building a regenerative tomorrow. We look forward to supporting them on their journey towards scaling for environmental and social impact.
The winners in their categories are:
WINNER (Organic Fertilizers category): The Waste Lab, From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building Lara Hussein & Team, UAE
WINNER (Minimizing Chemical Footprint category):, Smart Encapsulation of Plant Growth Factor for Elevated Germination in Wheat Seeds Katya Aguilar Perez & Team- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KSA
WINNER (Biofertilizers category): Cyanoboost Transition to Regenerative Farming with Biofertilizers Doha Ibrahim & Team, Heliopolis University, Egypt
The winners of the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme will receive a range of awards and further supporting benefits, including financial grants of USD 10,000 each, incubation opportunities, and access to a supportive stakeholder community, to help them scale their solutions on regional farmland, developing proof of concepts and expanding across different crops and farming conditions. These resources will empower the winners to further develop and scale their innovative solutions, drive real-world impact, and contribute to the overall sustainability & food security efforts in the MENAT region.
This marks the next phases of focus by the programme to expand its mandate and commitment to 1) driving awareness to a regenerative agriculture movement that is relevant to our region 2) supporting the knowledge economy in particular science, research and nature based solutions; and 3) bridging academic with private sector to help these solutions scale to impact and receive the necessary support to flourish tackling our current agricultural challenges and opportunities.
Winning the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme has been incredibly valuable for The Waste Lab, providing us with critical resources, knowledge, and networks to enhance our impact and nature-based solutions. This recognition not only boosts our profile but also supports our mission to advance climate-resilient agriculture in the MENAT region. The programme has allowed us to connect with like-minded innovators and stakeholders, enabling us to make a tangible impact on local ecosystems and communities through our work. We're excited about the future and grateful for the opportunities this programme is opening up.
For us being winners of The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programmere presents a hope for the new generation of women in science. It has been a wonderful opportunity to participate in the this programme, we learnt a lot about top field experts and it is very important for us to produce local agricultural products in the MENAT region, we have very talented people, we just need to impulse them in the right direction, and this programme has been the example of it. This opportunity has motivated us to continue working harder and to support the future generations of scientists.
The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme has been invaluable to me personally, providing invaluable knowledge and resources to promote sustainable agricultural practices and integrate them together with entrepreneurship and business. I believe its impact on the MENAT region will be profound, as it will foster innovation and cooperation for a more resilient agricultural future.
The winners of the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme will receive a range of awards and benefits, including financial grants of USD 10,000 each, mentorship opportunities, and access to a supportive stakeholder community. These resources will empower the winners to further develop and scale their innovative solutions, drive real-world impact, and contribute to the overall sustainability efforts in the MENAT region.
Goumbook’s partners and supporters in the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) and the European Institute of Technology Food (EIT Food), also reiterated the need for programmes such as this one and their impact across socio-ecological avenues in the region.
This initiative stands as a cornerstone in our efforts to promote regenerative agriculture research and practices in the Middle East, fortify food and water security, and contribute to the mitigation and adaptation of climate change
The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme epitomizes the fusion of scientific inquiry and pragmatic implementation, with a clear goal of enriching soil vitality, preserving water resources, and ensuring food security in a world affected by climate change. It represents a forward-thinking strategy that aims not only to address environmental challenges but also to rejuvenate the fundamental building blocks of our ecosystems. Our endorsement underscores a profound commitment, not only to the present but also to cultivating a flourishing, sustainable legacy for our communities and the environment that sustains us all.
The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme aimed to empower and upskill researchers, students and entrepreneurs who are addressing fundamental agricultural challenges in the MENAT region while focusing on early-stage research and nature-based solutions integrating regenerative agriculture practices. A key criterion for these solutions was to be scalable and accessible, particularly to small and medium farmers who represent 60-80% of the MENAT region’s current agricultural landscape.
For more information about the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme and the solutions, judges and mentors, visit: www.RegenerativeAgricultureVenture.com.
And follow us on: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/regenerative-agriculture-venture-programme/