Social enterprise Goumbook has announced the winners of its inaugural MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme.
The programme aims to empower and upskill researchers, students and entrepreneurs who are addressing fundamental agricultural challenges in the MENAT region while focusing on early-stage research and nature-based solutions integrating regenerative agriculture practices.
The Programme received over 158 applications from 18 countries, showcasing solutions from the region. A key criterion for these solutions was to be scalable and accessible, particularly to small and medium farmers who represent 60-80 per cent of the MENAT region’s current agricultural landscape.
It concluded with three winners:
- The Waste Lab, From Food Waste Rescue to Compost Production to Soil Building, Lara Hussein & Team, UAE, in the Organic Fertilizers category.
- Smart Encapsulation of Plant Growth Factor for Elevated Germination in Wheat Seeds, Katya Aguilar Perez & Team, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), KSA, in the Minimizing Chemical Footprint category, and
- Cyanoboost: Transition to Regenerative Farming with Biofertilizers, Doha Ibrahim & Team, Heliopolis University, Egypt, in the Biofertilizers category.
The winners of the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme will receive a range of awards and further supporting benefits, including financial grants of USD 10,000 each, incubation opportunities, and access to a supportive stakeholder community.
Samantha Kayruz, Goumbook’s Strategy & Sustainability Impact Director, commented: “The MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme embodies the spirit of collaboration and innovation that is essential for addressing the pressing agricultural, food security & climate change challenges of our time, through research and science. We congratulate the winners and all those who participated from 18 regional countries, and their invaluable contribution to building a regenerative tomorrow. We look forward to supporting them on their journey towards scaling for environmental and social impact.”
Goumbook’s partners and supporters in the Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme include HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB) and the European Institute of Technology Food (EIT Food).