On June 12 and 13, 2023, the first edition of Vision Golfe was held at the Ministry of the Economy in Paris. This event, organized by Business France on the same model as Ambition Africa, aims to promote economic cooperation between France and the Gulf States. To support this initiative, Apexagri was a sponsor.
Our Director Anaïs Riffiod took part in the round table on food sovereignty in Gulf countries, where she presented the lessons learned from our 5 years of experience in Saudi Arabia, thanks to the numerous projects carried out for the RCU (Royal Commission for AlUla) and Afalula (the French Agency for the Development of AlUla).
Our director Anaïs Riffiod took part in Vision Golfe’s round table on food sovereignty.
Food sovereignty in Gulf countries: 3 key issues
In particular, our team has identified 3 major issues to be addressed in the agricultural and food sectors, to create the conditions for food sovereignty in the Gulf countries.
Access to water
The question of access to water, which arises everywhere on the planet, is even more crucial in the Gulf countries, due to the soil and climate conditions and the extreme aridity of certain regions.
Various solutions have been identified to address this issue:
- Adopt innovative and sustainable technologies to increase productivity and efficiency in the use of natural resources
- Increase the potential of local and indigenous cultures already adapted to Middle Eastern conditions
- Promote sustainable farming practices to increase soil fertility, reduce dependence on chemical inputs, and maintain biodiversity
Adopting a “food system” approach
The only way to create the conditions for food sovereignty is to think of all projects as food systems, whose players form an interconnected chain.
Among the solutions identified:
- Promote sustainable food systems that consider the entire value chain, from production to consumption
- Include all types of agriculture, from smallholders & communities to business oriented farms
- Foster end to end integration and organize the production to create value within the value chain, in the country
Financing agricultural projects
Last but not least, financing is the lifeblood of agricultural development projects.
Action is needed at various levels to facilitate access to financing for players in the agricultural and food sectors:
- Facilitate access to the market and support capacity building
- Empower farmers, including women, and find ambassadors for success to show that it is possible, for example through pilot farms
- Implement strong policies & regulations to support food security and encourage sustainable practices, innovation and investment in the agricultural sector
Although the challenges are immense, solutions do exist to promote food sovereignty in Middle Eastern countries. This requires concerted, strategic action on the part of all stakeholders: governments, farmers, researchers, companies!
Vision Golfe: a round-table with public and private sector players
Thanks to Ali Itani, Arab News Regional Manager in France, for moderating this round table at Vision Golfe, and to the speakers.
- Masoud Almarri, Director of the Food Safety Department, Ministry of Municipality, Qatar.
- Hassan Halawy, Managing Director, Elite Agro LLC
- Khuloud Hasan Al Nowais, Chief Sustainability Officer, Emirates Foundation Group