Environment

510 Registrations from 65 Countries Highlight MENAT’s Role as a Hub for Climate-Resilient Agricultural Innovation

Goumbook, a leading social enterprise driving sustainability and climate action across the MENAT region, has officially announced the semi-finalists for the second cohort of the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme. The initiative, launched in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank and HSBC Bank Middle East, is supported by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Food and the Climate Champions Team.

The programme received 510 registrations from 80 research and academic institutions across 65 countries, marking a 223% increase from the first cohort. After a rigorous evaluation process, 20 science-backed and innovative solutions have been shortlisted to progress to the next phase.

Addressing Critical Climate Challenges in the MENAT Region

The MENAT region faces some of the most severe climate-related challenges worldwide. According to the World Bank, 89% of the region's land is classified as drylands, with 45% already affected by desertification. Rising temperatures—1.5 times faster than the global average—along with unsustainable land management practices, have contributed to a 40% decline in vegetation over the past two decades. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that salt-affected soils now stretch over 2.3 million square kilometers across the Near East and North Africa, significantly impacting future agricultural productivity.

The MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme aims to address these challenges by supporting researchers and entrepreneurs developing regionally relevant solutions that restore degraded land, improve food and water security, and build long-term climate resilience.

Semi-Finalists: Pioneering Agricultural Innovation

This year’s semi-finalists represent a diverse range of cutting-edge agricultural solutions, including organic and bio-fertilizers, agri-robotics, climate-resilient crops, agrivoltaics, AI-powered disease detection, and sustainable livestock systems.

List of Semi-Finalists:

• Actinobacteria (Ibn Zohr University, Morocco)

• AOS AI'griculture (Turkey)

• AquaShade Oasis (University of Jordan)

• Bactorhiza (Egypt)

• BlueBounty ProMix (India/UAE)

• DiseaseExpert (Oman)

• ECOVER (Morocco)

• Endophyte Biofertilizers (Dhofar University, Oman)

• Farm to 2Fs (Estidamah, Saudi Arabia)

• FertiSolo (KAUST, Saudi Arabia)

• Indigenous Silvopasture (Qassim University, Saudi Arabia)

• Microfluidics System (NYU Abu Dhabi, UAE)

• No-Till Seeder (University of Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Morocco)

• OZ-TECH (Heliopolis University, Egypt)

• RedDot Red Palm Weevil (United Kingdom/UAE)

• Smart Relay-Intercropping (ICARDA, Morocco)

• SmartAgri-AIoT (Egypt)

• TarLab Biyoteknoloji (Turkey)

• VerdiSol (UAE)

Next Steps: Bootcamp Training and Final Pitch Event

The 20 semi-finalists will now participate in Bootcamp 1, an intensive mentorship and training programme designed to enhance their knowledge of regenerative agriculture, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. They will receive expert-led guidance to refine their solutions and prepare them for implementation and scale-up.

The Top 10 finalists will then advance to the final pitch event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May 2025, where they will compete for grants, incubation opportunities, and strategic collaborations with key agricultural stakeholders in the region.

Leadership Insights: Scaling Innovation for a Sustainable Future

Samantha Kayruz, Strategy and Sustainability Impact Director at Goumbook, emphasized the growing importance of the initiative:
"The MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme has quickly become a critical bridge between research, science, and entrepreneurship. The overwhelming response highlights the urgent need for regionally relevant solutions, and we aim to transform the MENAT region into a global incubator for climate-resilient agriculture. By leveraging the region’s heritage and expertise, we can scale high-impact solutions that drive sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices worldwide."

Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder and Managing Director at Goumbook, added:
"The solutions to our agricultural challenges already exist within our region. Our mission is to create the conditions that allow these innovations to thrive. Through collaborations with our partners, the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative is nurturing a new generation of homegrown innovators who can reshape the future of agriculture while providing globally relevant models for climate adaptation, soil restoration, and water conservation."

A Global Impact Beyond MENAT

As climate challenges intensify worldwide, the innovations emerging from this programme have the potential to revolutionize global agriculture. Designed to withstand extreme heat, water scarcity, salinity, and land degradation, these nature-positive solutions offer a scalable approach to food security, biodiversity restoration, and environmental resilience in a rapidly changing world.

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