MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme Cohort 2023/24

Top 20 Solutions

#4070

Farm as an ecosystem

KAUST, KSA

Transforming the monoculture farm system into a more diverse, resilient, and self-sustaining ecosystem, creating a farm-resources closed system that mimics nature. This includes both agriculture practices and a self-farm microbiome bioreactor.

Researcher(s)

Ahmed Elhady

#4071

Sesame breeding for high-value production in hot and dry climates

KAUST University, Saudi Arabia

Improved sesame varieties could produce a high-value harvest using low inputs of fertilizer and water, while supporting local food systems and returning biomass carbon to the soil

Researcher(s)

Conner Johnson, Jesse Poland, Ibrahim Elbasyoni

#4083

Affordable Nanotech for Arid Environments

KAUST University, KSA

Revolutionizing agriculture, MePhSIN, a groundbreaking nano-platform, encapsulates plant growth regulators, unlocking a new era of enhanced crop resilience, doubling wheat production by 2050, and overcoming challenges in global food security.

Researcher(s)

Katya Michelle Aguilar Perez, Valeriia Nikolaeva, Viiktoria Zheltova, Khozama Al Mohawes

#4092

Better Soil & Better Food

Syria

Nature’s solutions are at your fingertips.

Researcher(s)

Souliman Alhassan, Reham Hasan

#4093

Conservation agriculture (zero tillage) and organic transactions

Turkey

Conservation agriculture and organic agriculture (zero tillage) of olive trees

Researcher(s)

Yousef Hallak

#4110

Agrisolutions

Morocco

Empowering farmers to double yields, slash water waste, and conquer disease with next-gen solutions for all vegetables

Researcher(s)

Yacer Manyani, Salah Eddine El Abbass, Yasser Mimouni,Khaoula Mahres

#4113

More Drop, More Crop

UAE

Sustainable Water Conservation Techniques for Arid Regions.

Researcher(s)

Khalil Ur Rahman, Mohammad Khalifa Bin Thaleth

#4114

Natural fiber reinforced bio-composites for soil erosion control

UAE

Sustainable natural fiber reinforced bio-composites for enhanced soil erosion control in agricultural environments. 

Researcher(s)

Diana Sandoval

#4115

Sustainable strawberry production for small farmers in KSA

Saudi Arabia

Sustain strawberry seedlings production for local farmers in KSA.  

Researcher(s)

Mohamed Ewis

#4129

MicroFert

Heliopolis University, Egypt

Natural customized bio-products with a beneficial impact on the environmental and agricultural ecosystem. Designed to boost crop productivity and enhance soil fertility.

Researcher(s)

Hend Elsawey, Rahma Ahmed Mohamed

#4157

Transforming organic Waste into Sustainable Solutions (TOWSS)

Benha University, Egypt

Creating organic fertilizers by repurposing organic waste for sustainable agricultural practices.

Researcher(s)

Fathy Yacoub

#4158

Systemic Farming, carbon sequestration for future food security

UAE

Systemic Farming Method – “The Simple way of growing Food as The Medicine for everything at an affordable price”.

Researcher(s)

Thoufik Rahuman Amanullah,Dr. Gnanapragasam Singaravel, Dr. M.Ganesan

#4159

Soil2soil

Heliopolis University, Egypt

Soil2Soil develops modified biochar from agriculture waste to reduce the use of chemical fertilizer and increase the fertility of the soil, with reducing water and air pollution due to agriculture waste.

Researcher(s)

Jay Thakkar

#4173

Addressing Soil Salinity: Challenges and Innovative Solutions

Plovdiv University, Bulgaria

Reclamation of saline soil using gypsum and microbial assisted phytoremediation in Turkey.

Researcher(s)

Georgina Asare

#4197

The cactus: a structuring plant for the environment and the food industry

Center de Recherche en Technologies Agro-Alimentaires, Algeria

By leveraging the inherent qualities of cacti and employing sustainable cultivation practices, the MENAT region can mitigate some of its agricultural, climate, and ecosystem challenges while capitalizing on the opportunities presented by this resilient crop.

Researcher(s)

Khodir Madani

#4197

Cyanoboost: Transition to regenerative farming with biofertilizers

Heliopolis University, Egypt

“Cyanoboost” is a bio-fertilizer product that enhance the whole plant growth performance, improve the extracted essential oils, and increase the diversity of the rhizospheric microbiome in medicinal plants.

Researcher(s)

Doaa Ibrahim, Eman Nour El-deen Hamed

#4199

Optimizing Harnessing Biofertilizer for Efficient Organic Waste Utilization and Environmental Conservation

Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University, Saudi Arabia

Integrating cutting-edge biofertilizer technology into Saudi Arabia’s agricultural practices. It aims to enhance regenerative agriculture by efficiently utilizing organic waste, contributing to sustainable soil health, and aligning with the principles of Vision 2030 for comprehensive environmental conservation and agricultural efficiency

Researcher(s)

Dr Nadia Adnan

#4200

The Waste Lab – From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building in the UAE and the Region

Individual, UAE

The Waste Lab’s solution is to create an opportunity for every food scrap to become a solution for rather than a burden on our society and environment by combining nature-based principles, data-driven operations, local production and application of compost, and community engagement.

Researcher(s)

Lara Hussein, Ceylan Uren, Nick Little, Sara Al Darras

#4202

Egrobots

Egypt

Imagine tiny robot farmers working 24/7, protecting your crops like superheroes. Our AI-powered scouting bots see pests, diseases, and weeds before your eyes do, saving you money, time, and the environment. Boost yields, slash costs, and farm smarter, not harder. Let’s robot-fy your future!

Researcher(s)

Akhlad Alabhar, Hanan Sabry, Ahmed Thabet

#4210

Weed Management with Advance AI Supported Mobile Robot

Turkey

Orbiba Robotics offers autonomous, AI-powered robots designed to revolutionize regenerative farming by providing sustainable weed management and crop monitoring solutions.

Researcher(s)

Ilker Bektas, Murat Can Demiral, Zeynep Muradaermiş, Zehra Altınkum

Top 10 Finalists

Farm as an ecosystem

KAUST, KSA

Transforming the monoculture farm system into a more diverse, resilient, and self-sustaining ecosystem, creating a farm-resources closed system that mimics nature. This includes both agriculture practices and a self-farm microbiome bioreactor.

Researcher(s)

Ahmed Elhady

regenerative agriculture, sustainable agriculture, bio farming

Sesame breeding for high-value production in hot and dry climates

KAUST University, Saudi Arabia

Improved sesame varieties could produce a high-value harvest using low inputs of fertilizer and water, while supporting local food systems and returning biomass carbon to the soil

Researcher(s)

Conner Johnson, Jesse Poland, Ibrahim Elbasyoni

Affordable Nanotech for Arid Environments

KAUST University, KSA

Revolutionizing agriculture, MePhSIN, a groundbreaking nano-platform, encapsulates plant growth regulators, unlocking a new era of enhanced crop resilience, doubling wheat production by 2050, and overcoming challenges in global food security.

Researcher(s)

Katya Michelle Aguilar Perez, Valeriia Nikolaeva, Viiktoria Zheltova, Khozama Al Mohawes

regenerative agriculture, environmental awareness, environmental awareness solutions, agriculture and farming

Conservation agriculture (zero tillage) and organic transactions

Turkey

Conservation agriculture and organic agriculture (zero tillage) of olive trees

Researcher(s)

Yousef Hallak

More Drop, More Crop

UAE

Sustainable Water Conservation Techniques for Arid Regions.

Researcher(s)

Khalil Ur Rahman, Mohammad Khalifa Bin Thaleth

bio farming, environmental sustainability, regenerative agriculture, agriculture ecosystem

MicroFert

Heliopolis University, Egypt

Natural customized bio-products with a beneficial impact on the environmental and agricultural ecosystem. Designed to boost crop productivity and enhance soil fertility.

Researcher(s)

Hend Elsawey, Rahma Ahmed Mohamed

bio farming, environmental sustainability, regenerative agriculture, agriculture ecosystem

Systemic Farming, carbon sequestration for future food security

UAE

Systemic Farming Method – “The Simple way of growing Food as The Medicine for everything at an affordable price”.

Researcher(s)

Thoufik Rahuman Amanullah,Dr. Gnanapragasam Singaravel, Dr. M.Ganesan

bio farming, farming and agriculture, regenerative agriculture

Cyanoboost: Transition to regenerative farming with biofertilizers

Heliopolis University, Egypt

“Cyanoboost” is a bio-fertilizer product that enhance the whole plant growth performance, improve the extracted essential oils, and increase the diversity of the rhizospheric microbiome in medicinal plants.

Researcher(s)

Doaa Ibrahim, Eman Nour El-deen Hamed

food waste, environmental sustainability, regenerative agriculture

The Waste Lab – From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building in the UAE and the Region

Individual, UAE

The Waste Lab’s solution is to create an opportunity for every food scrap to become a solution for rather than a burden on our society and environment by combining nature-based principles, data-driven operations, local production and application of compost, and community engagement.

Researcher(s)

Lara Hussein, Ceylan Uren, Nick Little, Sara Al Darras

environmental sustainability, farming and agriculture, sustainable farming, regenerative agriculture

Egrobots

Egypt

Imagine tiny robot farmers working 24/7, protecting your crops like superheroes. Our AI-powered scouting bots see pests, diseases, and weeds before your eyes do, saving you money, time, and the environment. Boost yields, slash costs, and farm smarter, not harder. Let’s robot-fy your future!

Researcher(s)

Akhlad Alabhar, Hanan Sabry, Ahmed Thabet

2023/24 WINNERS

Affordable Nanotech for Arid Environments

KAUST University, KSA

Revolutionizing agriculture, MePhSIN, a groundbreaking nano-platform, encapsulates plant growth regulators, unlocking a new era of enhanced crop resilience, doubling wheat production by 2050, and overcoming challenges in global food security.

Researcher(s)

Katya Michelle Aguilar Perez, Valeriia Nikolaeva, Viiktoria Zheltova, Khozama Al Mohawes

bio farming, farming and agriculture, regenerative agriculture

Cyanoboost: Transition to regenerative farming with biofertilizers

Heliopolis University, Egypt

“Cyanoboost” is a bio-fertilizer product that enhance the whole plant growth performance, improve the extracted essential oils, and increase the diversity of the rhizospheric microbiome in medicinal plants.

Researcher(s)

Doaa Ibrahim, Eman Nour El-deen Hamed

food waste, environmental sustainability, regenerative agriculture

The Waste Lab – From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building in the UAE and the Region

Individual, UAE

The Waste Lab’s solution is to create an opportunity for every food scrap to become a solution for rather than a burden on our society and environment by combining nature-based principles, data-driven operations, local production and application of compost, and community engagement.

Researcher(s)

Lara Hussein, Ceylan Uren, Nick Little, Sara Al Darras

Mentors

I am the CEO and founder of LandPrint, a NatureTech company pioneering nature-positive metrics through an innovative digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) platform. At LandPrint, we leverage advanced digital technologies to assess and rate progress in building natural capital and mitigating investment risks. By providing actionable ratings and insights, we empower companies and investors to make sustainable choices that transform environmental assets into measurable economic value. I have over 20 years of experience in leading and supporting regenerative agriculture projects, both as a co-founder and advisor of several impact ventures and as a regenerative farmer myself. I have a Ph.D. in Water and Natural Resources Engineering and have collaborated with top academic institutions. I have also been nominated and received national and international prizes for my work in sustainability and social impact. My mission is to integrate tech and financial solutions in innovations related to regenerative agriculture and the restoration of ecosystems. I am interested in networking with professionals who share this vision and are open to explore new joint opportunities.

Fadi is a seasoned professional with a strong background in digital transformation and entrepreneurship, particularly in the field of regenerative agriculture. With a Bachelor’s in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Texas, Arlington, and further studies in Software Project Management at Carnegie Mellon University, Fadi brings a robust technical and managerial skill set to his roles. His experience spans various significant positions, including a Digital Agriculture Expert for the FAO Project and roles within the United Nations, where he focused on information systems and digital initiatives.

As the founder and former CEO of Game Power 7, Fadi demonstrated his entrepreneurial acumen by establishing the first online game publisher in the Arab region. He also has a track record of supporting startups and serving as a jury member in entrepreneurship contests across several organizations, highlighting his commitment to nurturing new talent and innovation.

Miles has over 24 years’ experience within the HSBC Group working across all segments of the global banking and corporate banking arena as either a relationship manager or team leader. Miles is from a farming background in the UK, and still helps manage the family farm which itself is now embracing regenerative agriculture techniques. He moved the UAE in 2017, and now heads up the Technology and New Economy Division of HSBC Corporate bank, which provides a full range of banking services to equity backed, high growth, tech focused, innovative and disruptive businesses.

Ewa has many years of experience in working with innovations and solutions for sustainable development gained in Poland, Austria and Dubai. She worked with the first Polish fund of funds supporting VC funds as well as with public funds provided by EU, Switzerland, Norway. She also worked as a consultant and a partnership/business development manager in the private sector. She was one of the founding members of an NGO focused on sustainable and ethical consumption. At EIT Food, she collaborates with the agrifood industry, startups, and other innovators to accelerate innovations in the Central Eastern-Europe and Nordic countries. She is convinced that a transformation to a more sustainable, equitable, and just food system is possible

Mohamed is a CEO and Founder of My Farm, and represents the fifth generation of farmers in his family and has a background in engineering. Mohamed’s journey with My Farm has been driven by the convergence of low-tech and new-tech approaches, all aimed at optimizing organic food production safely. The core of Mohamed’s mission at My Farm lies in the creation of circular systems, which is believed to be key to achieving the UAE’s food security goals.

Mehdi Yann Echchadly is a MENAT Senior Manager in Sustainable Financing at HSBC’s Commercial Banking division. With a master’s degree in politics and economics and a 5-year tenure at the bank, Mehdi has held various roles within Sustainability at HSBC in different geographies. Initially based in Paris covering corporate clients and their sustainable financing projects in Europe, Mehdi has recently joined HSBC MENAT leveraging his European sustainable finance expertise to drive sustainable growth and advise corporate clients in their ESG projects.

Lola is a Senior Associate at VentureSouq, focused on the ClimateTech thesis investing in early-stage technology companies in FoodTech, Carbon Economy, Supply Chain Tech and Climate FinTech. Prior to VentureSouq, Lola worked with the High Yield Debt Capital Markets team at ING Bank N.V. and with KPMG UAE’s Business Performance Services division. Lola holds a B.A. from New York University Abu Dhabi where she is now a guest lecturer on climate and impact investing and is a Terra.do Fellow.

Hussein stands as an accomplished expert in the realms of growth strategy and strategic partnerships, wielding an impressive portfolio of achievements that have spurred growth, innovation, and transformation across various sectors within the Arab world. His leadership across multiple projects has honed his ability to introduce and adeptly manage the implementation of new technologies, prioritizing education to ensure the efficient evolution of organizations.

In his role as the MENA Regional Manager at Farm To Plate, the agri-food tech arm of Paramount Software Solutions based in the United States, Hussein brings to bear his wealth of experience by offering unparalleled strategic guidance in the domains of innovation and technology. His influence extends across both public and private sectors throughout MENA countries. Notably, Hussein has played a pivotal role in introducing Farm To Plate’s cutting-edge technological solutions to Governments and regional businesses.

Christine is global leader and expert in agrifood and climate tech innovation, with two decades of experience leading creative and collaborative change throughout the industry.

She has built Thought For Food, the world’s largest and most diverse innovation movement and community that spans 180+ countries; has incubated and accelerated 100+ science-and-technology-based startups which have gone on to raise over $300mm in venture capital; and has worked extensively with organizations that include the United Nations, the Rockefeller Foundation, Cargill, Google, and DHL, among many others.

In her previous roles, Christine led external affairs, public policy, & corporate affairs functions for leading multinationals, unicorn-level startups, think tanks & industry associations. One of the highlights of her career was her work to design and establish the world’s first open-licensing platform for patented vegetable traits while working at Syngenta, which eventually led to a shift in the sharing and use of beneficial intellectual property assets across the entire plant breeding industry.

Christine was appointed to the Advisory Committee for the UN Food Systems Summit, and was selected for the prestigious Acumen/Rockefeller Food Systems Fellowship. Her work has been featured in MIT Tech Review, BBC, and The Economist, and Forbes recently named her as one of the “Top 10 Women in Synthetic Biology.”

Christine is the author of “The Change-makers Guide to Feeding the Planet,” the producer of 2 docu-films about next-gen agri-food-tech solutions, and has spearheaded global events on five continents that have earned awards for sustainability and impact from the United Nations Environment Programme and Fast Company.

Tamer has over 25 years of investment, entrepreneurial and innovation experience in Africa, Middle East, USA and Europe. As the MD of ARAF; a $58MM impact VC fund that invests in Agri startups with business models that help farmers adapt to climate change, he led the team that invested in 12 companies which impacted more than One Million farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ghana. Prior to joining ARAF, he led responsibility AG (rA) Agriculture PE in Africa and Cargill’s growth strategy and investment activities in Africa. He received an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, a PhD in Materials Engineering from Drexel University and a B.Sc. in Metallurgical Engineering from Cairo University.

Mariam is an investment professional with 15+ years of experience working across a wide range of the capital markets spectrum, from publicly listed companies to legacy family businesses, to her current and more active role, advising and investing in early-stage tech startups. Mariam began her career in Investment Banking advising mid- and large-cap companies in connection with corporate restructuring, equity- and debt- financing, mergers and acquisitions, and equity capital markets transactions, predominantly Initial Public Offerings.

She then provided Investor Relations advisory for a number of publicly-listed companies and family conglomerates. Mariam co-founded FLOW, a wellness center, whose operations spanned multiple locations. She leads AUC Angels, the first alumni-based angel investor network in the MENA region, and is a board member of Tiye Angels, a network of female angel investors guided by a gender lens investment thesis in Egypt. Mariam is a Partner at LoftyInc’s Alpha Fund, a pan-African fund investing in early-stage tech startups across multiple sectors.

Thera works for Priva, a family-owned multinational corporation in Westland (the Netherlands) that develops innovative and sustainable solutions to complex problems related to climate control and process management and is with this expertise unquestionably world market leader in (greenhouse) horticulture while also leading the way in automated climate and process control in commercial, public and industrial buildings.

In 2011 she joined the company to develop the market for horticulture solutions in Asia. Soon after that, she moved to live in Beijing where she served as General Manager Asia, focusing on the rapidly developing horticulture market in China and consolidating Priva’s position as market leader in Asia. Since 2019, Thera is responsible for managing the Sustainable Urban Delta foundation, an initiative that emphasizes that an integrated approach is the key to creating food producing cities: cities that embrace food production in their Green Belts, producing healthy, fresh and nutritious food for their citizens.

Judges

Dr Mohammad has a varied international track record in the provision of guidance on policy and strategy development, food security, IPPC, SPS, ISPMs, plant health, IPM, One Health, Biosecurity, community development, sustainable agriculture, and gender across both government and non-government organisations, including UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment.

Dr Mohammad has proven success in the development of high-level policies, strategies and implementation plans, and is skilled in the management of natural and human resources to support the adoption of sustainable systems including organic farming, biodiversity, livestock production and rural livelihoods. He is adept at leading multi-disciplinary teams and building solid relationships with research centres, international NGOs, governmental institutions, local partners and donors to support strategic sustainable development initiatives

Mira is the Managing Director at HealthyPath, a nutrition policy and food sustainability consultancy firm that supports organizations from the public and private sectors to address health and food sustainability challenges effectively. She advises on food innovations in line with health and sustainability agendas, as well as policies and partnerships that guide organizations toward sustainable food systems focusing on sustainable consumption. Mira is also the MENA Ambassador for Thought for Food, the world’s next gen innovation engine for food and agriculture, which supports young leaders to launch the world’s most game-changing social-impact startups and equip them with the mindset, values, approaches and connections they need to be successful changemakers.

Mira has led nutrition strategies for healthier and sustainable innovations, forged impactful partnerships with governmental entities, and orchestrated the development of public health pledges across multinational food companies.

Dr. Hector H. Hernandez is a pioneering leader in sustainable agriculture and biotechnology, specializing in developing climate-smart integrated food production systems for arid regions. As CEO of Tulif Holdings and founder of Tulif Future Farms, he focuses on creating innovative agricultural solutions that address critical challenges in water scarcity, soil degradation, and food security in the MENAT region. With a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from MIT and over 12 years of experience in the UAE, Dr. Hernandez brings deep expertise in desert agriculture and sustainable farming solutions.

His notable achievements include founding the halophyte plant breeding program at Masdar Institute and Khalifa University, demonstrating his commitment to advancing desert-adapted agricultural solutions. His experience in mentoring and evaluating agricultural innovation includes serving as a judge for the Climate Innovations Exchange (CLIX) Market competition and as a scientific mentor at the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa). At Tulif Holdings, he leads the development of regenerative and resilient food growing solutions that combine innovative approaches to water conservation, input recycling, and waste minimization.

His expertise in both technical innovation and practical implementation enables him to provide valuable guidance to emerging entrepreneurs in regenerative agriculture.

Kevin is the Managing Director of C3 – Companies Creating Change, a UAE-based social enterprise enabling impact-driven entrepreneurs to become active agents of positive impact by providing access to transformative innovation and acceleration programs across the Middle East and Africa.

Kevin has over 20 years of strategy, finance, and investment experience across the globe, with broad exposure to different sectors and business models within complex and dynamic environments. He has previously held senior positions at AW Rostamani Group, OSN, Global Integrated Security, Networkers International Plc, and Euromoney Institutional Investor Plc. His strengths lie in strategic development and execution, impact investing, and social entrepreneurship.

Christoph heads the Corporate Venturing activities at EIT Food.

Previously, he has led the EIT Food Accelerator Network on a European level. He supported two university spin-offs specialized in urban/vertical farming & Greentech as a co-founder and worked as a consultant specialized in commercial due diligence projects for private equity firms.

He holds a PHD in Entrepreneurship from University of Hohenheim.

David Ramos is the Acting Head of Sustainability for HSBC Bank Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. He has 18 years of working experience as a sustainability practitioner, having worked in consultancy companies linked to sectors as chemical, manufacturing and working closely with the public administration and governmental bodies.

He has also worked in a complex supply chain environment in a fashion leading multinational in Spain, where he initiated their sustainability programme. He has now worked in the Finance sector in Middle East for seven years.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Sciences by the University of Cordoba (Spain) and a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Sciences by the LUND University (Sweden).

Simon is a Partner and Venture Capitalist at Global Ventures and a Chartered Accountant with the ICAEW, a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investments.

Simon has over five years of investment experience across venture capital and corporate finance and has worked in the investment team at Committed Capital, a venture capital fund based in London which focused on early-stage technology investments.

Dr. Abdoul Aziz Niane is a seed technologist and rangeland ecologist with more than 30 years of experience in crop management and post-harvest seed operations. Since joining ICARDA in 1987, he has worked on seed production and post-harvest operations with extensive regional activities, including training and technical support on national seed system diversification.

He has led the operation and diversification of seed delivery systems, and implemented rangeland ecosystem monitoring and rehabilitation efforts. Dr. Niane has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications. His research interests include basic and applied research on seed science and technology.

He received his Ph.D. in rangeland ecology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and a M.Sc. in plant protection from Cukuruva University in Turkey.

Thomaz Domingues is the Senior Manager – Strategy and Industry Development of in5, a business
incubator created to address the practical needs of a growing community of creative professionals and entrepreneurs across the Tech, Design and Media industries.

In his role as a strategic thinker, Thomaz is responsible for ensuring the development of the
entrepreneurial ecosystem in Dubai and the MENA Region by connec?ng government and private stakeholders with the best startups at in5, in addition to drive the development and implementation of strategic initiatives for the overall development of the entrepreneurial community.

Thomaz has over 15 years of experience within the startup and creative economy ecosystem, having delivered outstanding results engaging regional and international startup hubs.

Karima El Hakim is the Country Director for Plug & Play in Egypt, the global leader in corporate innovation and one of the top early-stage Venture Capital investors in the world.

Karima’s work revolves around ecosystem building, VC investment and startup acceleration/incubation which was duly recognized throughout her previous work at Fawry, Falak Startups and Orascom Development Holding.

She holds a BSc. in Business Administration from the American University in Cairo and a MSc in Market Intelligence and Research from Sciences-Po Paris (IEP).

Dr. Dina Najjar joined ICARDA in 2014 as a social and gender specialist. A socio-cultural anthropologist by training, she focuses on the link between gender equality and policies; agricultural technologies and delivery systems; rural employment and migration; adaption to climate change; and productive assets, including access to land and ownership, in the Middle East and North Africa.

Her geographical expertise includes Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Sudan. She has also conducted research in Uzbekistan, Kenya, Ethiopia, and India. Dr. Najjar is fluent in Arabic and proficient in French and Swahili. She received her Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Neal Spackman was cofounder and director of the Al Baydha Project from 2010-2017, where he worked with settled bedou in Makkah developing ways to reverse desertification in the Hijaz. Since Al Baydha, he has lead and consulted on regenerative projects and enterprises in Latin America, the USA, West Africa, East Africa, Southern Europe, and West Asia. Spackman is currently CEO and co-founder of Regenerative Resources, an enterprise focused on coastal regenerative development, blue economy, and regenerative onshore aquacultures.

Neal has won the Rising Star award at the World Bank Global Disruptive Tech Challenge, a Makkah Governorate Prize for excellence in sustainable development, and a Tomkat Center Fellowship from Stanford University, where he is an alum

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