KSA to host first-ever agriculture-tech hackathon from 26-28 September
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be hosting its very first “Agricultural Techniques Hackathon” from 26 to 28 September and is currently open for participation. Prospective programmers, designers, entrepreneurs, web developers, owners of innovative Ideas and specialists from GCC and Middle East markets can register for the hackathon here.
Badir Program for Technology Incubators and Accelerators representing King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), will be hosting the hackathon in collaboration with Faisal bin Mishal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Community “Mojtamae”.
The agritech hackathon will consist of three tracks:
Marketing and growth
Management and follow-up of agricultural projects
Use of Artificial Intelligence and data in pest and agricultural control
The most prominent ideas and solutions addressed to solving the challenges facing the agricultural sector in all three tracks will be included in Badir’s dedicated plan with its accelerators programme.
Through the programme, the entrepreneurs will receive a range of advisory services and intensive programmes such as training, workshops, and guidance to develop entrepreneurial innovations, as well as support to help transform their ideas into real projects within 90 working days, and up to the incubation of the projects to ensure their success.
The world is moving towards finding more sustainable food sources and practices. Beyond Meat from the US is gaining traction, while many others focusing on protein from plants and insects are gaining investor attention around the world. Food security is of high importance as traditional animal protein is more expensive, unsustainable for the climate, and is becoming increasingly unpopular with the masses.
The Gulf has long been dependent on imports from other countries to meet the food needs of the region. However, this is changing thanks to technology that is helping farms grow food in one of the world’s toughest climates.
This Hackathon will focus on meeting this need for better and more sustainable food security. It will also seek to address one of the key pillars of KSA’s Vision 2030, which is to boost the agricultural sector in the country.
"Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program aims to adopt a more sustainable, productive, and efficient food system. Our joint ‘Agricultural Techniques Hackathon’ with Mujtami will help generate fresh innovative ideas and solutions to transform the existing food system in the Kingdom, which will lead to reduction of natural resources waste, increase in the efficiency and quality of production, and higher economic return."Nawaf Al-Sahaf, the CEO of Badir Program
KSA's agricultural sector currently contributes to the provision of 25 percent of all food available for consumption, SR 53 billion to the gross domestic product (equivalent to 4 percent of the non-oil GDP), and employs 450,000 people across the various regions of the Kingdom.
