Dubai: Goumbook, a leading social enterprise dedicated to accelerating sustainability and climate action, today announced the launch of the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme.

Launched in partnership with HSBC Bank Middle East Limited and SAB (Saudi Awwal Bank), and supported by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Food, Goumbook’s Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme aims to empower and upskill researchers and students who are actively engaged in addressing the fundamental agricultural challenges facing the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey (MENAT) region.

The primary objective of the programme is to chart a sustainable path toward a greener future by supporting innovative solutions in process methods and technology, addressing a broad spectrum of challenges including hunger, nutrition, climate change mitigation, and adaptation, among other matters. In doing so, it will position regenerative agriculture as a beacon of hope in the battle against the regional agricultural obstacles, fostering a more resilient and prosperous MENAT region for generations to come.

The solutions proposed by the participants must yield net beneficial economic, environmental, and social impacts for farmers and local communities, tailored to the unique agricultural conditions of the MENAT region to drive sustainable, long-term change.

Recent research1 reveals that earth has only 60 years of nutritious topsoil left, equating to approximately 60 harvests, as a result of conventional agricultural practices. A thin layer of topsoil is responsible for 95% of all the food produced for human consumption2.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations also reports that globally, conventional agriculture accounts for 72% of all surface and groundwater withdrawals, mainly for irrigation, which is straining and depleting water supplies in many regions.

Regenerative agriculture, through its key principles and adoption of resilient crop varieties that require less water, fewer pesticides, and reduced chemical inputs, is an approach that translates as a vital component in addressing the region- specific agriculture and climate challenges of the MENAT region Regenerative Agriculture also holds the potential to sequester carbon dioxide, making it a climate change mitigation and adaptation solution.

The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme has a multifaceted approach aimed at bolstering support to the knowledge economy by emphasizing research, science, and data-driven solutions. It also strongly focuses on capacity building for academia and researchers, fostering entrepreneurship and business skills to bridge the gap between the academic, research and business sectors. Furthermore, the programme aims to transform research solutions into long-term, accessible, scalable, and sustainable impact solutions; that are within reach of small and medium farm holders. Lastly, it strives to initiate a regenerative agriculture movement in the MENAT region, positioning regenerative agriculture as a critical response to climate change & resilience and to the unique agricultural challenges faced in this arid, saline, desert, and water-scarce region.

Students and researchers focusing on innovative and applicable solutions within the domain of regenerative agriculture for the MENAT region can submit their applications for the programme online by 18th December 2023 at www.RegenerativeAgricultureVenture.com.

Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder and Managing Director at Goumbook, said: "In a world grappling with pressing agricultural, climate change, and food and water security challenges, we recognise the urgency to innovate and maximise resource efficiency, especially in our region's harsh farming conditions. Regenerative agriculture, with its holistic approach that enhances soil health, fosters biodiversity and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, offers tremendous potential.”

Abella added: “Our ambitious program embarks on a transformative journey to establish concrete and scalable impact solutions for regenerative agriculture, significantly fortifying the MENAT region's sustainable development and environmental health. We are not just imagining a future of regenerative agriculture; we are strongly facilitating its emergence. Together with a new generation of thinkers and innovators, we are dedicated to empowering impactful change that preserves our precious environment for future generations and positioning MENAT as a climate-resilient agriculture hub.”

David Ramos, Head of Sustainability at HSBC Middle East, said: "This is an important programme which we hope will help support regenerative agriculture, enhance food and water security and aid in climate change mitigation."

Mai Bin Dayel, Head of Corporate Communications & ESG at SAB, stated: “The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme represents a convergence of scientific inquiry and practical application, aimed at enhancing soil vitality, conserving water, and securing food resources in a climate-impacted world. It's a visionary approach that seeks to not only mitigate environmental challenges but to regenerate the very foundation of our ecosystems. Our support signifies a deep investment in not just the present, but also in a thriving, sustainable legacy for our communities and the environment that sustains us all.”

The programme will culminate at the final, where participants will showcase their innovative solutions to a panel of esteemed judges, with the chance to win one of three $10,000 cash prizes, with further opportunities to support the solutions to scale for impact, further recognizing and supporting their groundbreaking ideas. The final 3 candidates will engage in collaborative efforts with farmers to refine their proof of concept, thereby guaranteeing their ideas' practicality and high impact, firmly rooted in substantial knowledge and skills.

For more information about the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme, visit www.RegenerativeAgricultureVenture.com.

-Ends-

Keynotes:

  • Dr Christoph Mandl, Head of Corporate Venturing EIT Food said:

“Regenerative agriculture offers one of the greatest opportunities to improve human and climate health. The Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme offers researchers the opportunity to gain support from the most experienced, expert mentors and business leaders across the world and the MENAT region specifically. 2023 could be the year that turns impactful business ideas into reality and opens the door to opportunities that were previously thought impossible. We are convinced that the challenges faced by our world today will not be solved without the disruptive innovations of great entrepreneurs and fast-moving startups. More than ever, they are an essential component of the future solutions and we are very proud to support those changemakers in the early stages of their future growth.”

  • Mai Bin Dayel, Head of Corporate Communications & ESG at SAB, added:

“In alignment with the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme, we recognize the profound opportunity to catalyze a shift towards more sustainable agricultural practices. By fostering a collaborative ecosystem of innovation, we are setting the stage for transformative solutions that are vital for the MENAT region's future.”

About Goumbook:

Goumbook operates as a non-profit sustainability social enterprise. With a successful 14-year track record of advocating for social and environmental sustainability, Goumbook has earned a respected status as an independent expert institution specializing in solutions related to sustainability issues specific to the GCC and the wider MENA region. Goumbook collaborates with all sectors through the key pillars of awareness (education), action (campaigns), and advisory (consulting). It has a strong history of engaging with the community and youth, and a remarkable ability to unite and partner with stakeholders across the public, private, academia, and civil society in its initiatives and campaigns, delivering long-lasting sustainability impact.

Goumbook’s most recent and notable projects include:

• Dubai Can for Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism. Campaign conceptualised and implemented by Goumbook as the Strategic Partner and Trusted Sustainability Expert, as a sustainability initiative by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

• Food Wise Challenge in collaboration with the UAE MOCCAE and DWTC, engaging university and school students to participate in submitting solutions for food security.

• Recipe of Change as the local implementation partner of UNEP’s regional initiative, tackling food waste awareness and reduction.

• Refill campaign as the local delivery partner of Refill global, facilitating refilling water on the go, while avoiding single use plastic water bottles.

• MENA Oceans Summit & Network, under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Climate Change & Environment - the Middle East’s first dedicated forum to take action for the sea, oceans & coastal communities.

• Ajman Mangrove Park - In partnership with Ajman Municipality the project focuses on environmental assessment and rehabilitation, mangrove afforestation while promoting education and research.

• Eat It or Save It - End Food waste campaign launched in 2018. Eat it or Save It is an awareness campaign that drives awareness on the social, environmental and economic repercussions of food loss and food waste and actions that can be implemented to address this problem. 

• Fair Care - Accessible health campaign launched in 2017. Fair Care is a social impact and awareness campaign that supports low income communities in the UAE with access to healthcare and wellbeing services and products.

• Unisoap UAE launched in 2023 applying circularity to disposed hotel soap bars, reducing waste and supporting vulnerable communities gain access to basic hygiene products, as new soap bars.

• Forward Talks Podcast special series in the ‘Year of Sustainability’ and leading up to COP28 UAE: “Climate Leaders- Rising Up to Cop28” supported by Dubai Government’s Media Office, and in partnership with Mastercard

• Trees Matter & Give a Ghaf Tree Planting - Raising awareness of the local environment through planting the Ghaf, mangroves and other indigenous trees; while combating climate change, biodiversity loss and carbon sequestration as nature based solutions.

For more information, please visit: https://goumbook.com/

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