Latest news with #MEWA
Arab News
04-08-2025
- Business
- Arab News
26 workshops to boost nonprofit efficiency in KSA
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has launched an empowerment program for nonprofit organizations, offering 26 specialized workshops across 11 regions of the Kingdom. The program aims to enhance civil associations' operational efficiency and strengthen their developmental role in line with Vision 2030, according to a Saudi Press Agency report. The ministry said that eight workshops will be held in Riyadh, eight in the Eastern Province and Makkah region, and four in Madinah and Asir. Additionally, six workshops will take place in Tabuk, Qassim, Jazan, Hail, Jouf, and Northern Borders, ensuring broad access for nonprofit organizations. The workshops will cover key topics such as establishing foundations and civil associations, partnership building, marketing, strategic planning, governance, financial sustainability, and promoting professional volunteering. Through these sessions, the ministry aims to boost the skills of nonprofit sector workers, contributing to greater social impact and sustainability. For inquiries, contact via email at or call the unified number 939.
Leaders
15-07-2025
- Business
- Leaders
Environment Ministry Launches Major Water Management, Flood Mitigation Project
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) has signed a new contract for a comprehensive project focused on water resource development and flood risk mitigation. The initiative aims to optimize the use of ground and surface water, protect non-renewable groundwater sources, and support the broader goal of achieving national water security. Enhancing Water Resource Efficiency According to Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Shaibani, Deputy Minister for Water at MEWA, the project forms a key part of the ministry's strategy to manage non-renewable water sources more effectively. This includes the regulation of drilling and production activities, promoting sustainable water use, identifying secure water sources, and supporting their long-term development. The initiative also seeks to expand the use of surface and renewable water through the adoption of international best practices. Technical Support The project will deliver integrated services across several areas. These include studies and designs for rainwater harvesting infrastructure such as dams, water barriers, and ponds. It will also cover valley and watershed studies, flood risk mitigation planning, and the review of existing studies. Ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and field reporting will ensure transparency and effectiveness throughout implementation. Water Management This initiative supports the objectives of the National Water Strategy by focusing on improved water demand management, higher usage efficiency, environmental conservation, and encouraging private sector involvement. It is a strategic step toward achieving the sustainability goals outlined in Saudi Vision 2030. Related Topics : Kingdom's Sunday Weather Forecast Saudi Climate Envoy Meets Sao Tome President Saudi Arabia Inspires World during 'MENA Climate Week' Short link : Post Views: 7
Argaam
22-06-2025
- Business
- Argaam
MEWA: New regs for livestock sales to come into force on June 26
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) is slated to enforce its decision to introduce a new set of regulations in its livestock markets as of June 26, mandating sale by weight rather than size. The new rules are aimed at clamping down on the longstanding profiteering of livestock sales across public markets nationwide, ensuring fair pricing for both producers and consumers, according to a ministerial statement picked up by Argaam. The decision supports the Kingdom's drive towards environmental and economic sustainability as well as aligns with the Saudi Vision 2030 goals. The ministry set out guidelines to standardize the weighing and selling of slaughter-ready animals, while preserving animal wealth and eliminating market monopoly. The framework seeks to maximize benefits, promote fairness and transparency, and enhance service quality and sustainability in public markets. The rules cover livestock inside and outside pens. For pen sales, livestock cannot be sold without a pre-recorded weight. Weights must be measured using approved scales that meet official standards, and pen operators must supply the scales. Sellers must ensure accuracy, regularly maintain and clean weighing equipment to prevent diseases, besides providing safe conditions that avoid harming or stressing animals. All weight transactions must be logged with the respective date, animal type, recorded weight, and any additional data required by authorities. Weighing must be visible to both parties, and buyers must be allowed to dispute and request a reweigh. Fraud, scale tampering, or any misleading practices are banned. Ministry inspectors can suspend any non-compliant scale until compliance with the set standards. Operators must also cooperate with inspectors and provide requested information. Staff must be trained in proper weighing procedures to ensure accuracy and efficiency. Outside the pens, in public market areas, sales must also follow certified weighing procedures.
Arab News
17-06-2025
- General
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia marks UN's World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has marked the UN's World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, an awareness event held annually on June 17. The day aims to spotlight the urgent need to address the growing challenges of land degradation, desertification and drought. The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said the event emphasized the importance of land restoration as a driver of opportunity, the Saudi Press Agency reported. It helps to raise awareness of the critical role healthy ecosystems play in creating jobs, enhancing food and water security and strengthening economic resilience, the ministry added. It also highlighted Saudi Arabia's diverse geography and climate which is home to a unique biodiversity adapted to a range of climatic conditions. The Kingdom has launched several major environmental initiatives, most notably the Saudi Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 billion trees over the coming decades. The Kingdom is currently implementing 86 initiatives and programs with total investments exceeding SR705 billion ($188 billion), covering all aspects of the green economy. These initiatives align with the core objectives of the SGI: reducing carbon emissions, expanding national afforestation, and protecting terrestrial and marine ecosystems. More than 313,000 hectares of degraded land across the Kingdom have now been restored, and 115 million trees planted. MEWA has also launched the Environmental Awareness Initiative, which is designed to raise environmental literacy and support Sustainable Development Goals. The plan also emphasizes the importance of community engagement and cross-sector collaboration — from public institutions to private and non-profit entities. As part of its efforts to monitor marine habitats, the ministry has conducted extensive field surveys along the Red Sea coast, covering over 600 coral reef sites, 200 seagrass locations and 100 mangrove areas. According to UN data, desertification, land degradation and drought remain among the most pressing environmental challenges today, impacting up to 40 percent of the Earth's land surface. As the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) reaches its midpoint, there is a critical need to accelerate restoration efforts on a global scale. If current trends continue, the world will need to restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, creating a restoration economy valued at over $1 trillion. The planet is currently losing healthy land at a rate equivalent to four football fields per second.
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit 2025 concludes
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – The inaugural MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit, hosted by Goumbook's MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, The Summit, as the first dedicated platform for regenerative agriculture of its kind in the Middle East, North Africa, and Türkiye region (MENAT), convened over 150 regional and global stakeholders — including policymakers, academics, innovators, investors, and civil society — to chart a unified path toward a sustainable, regenerative, climate-resilient food systems. In partnership with HSBC, Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), EIT Food, the United Nations Climate Change High Level Champions Team and the Saudi Agrifood Tech Alliance (SAFTA), delivered a powerful call to action to scale regenerative agriculture in the MENAT region. Centered around the theme "Cultivating Soil Capital: Regenerative Food Systems & Nature-Based Solutions," the day-long event featured high-level keynotes, expert-led panel discussions, a regional consultation, the live pitch finale and reveal of the three winners of Goumbook's Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme, which spotlighted the Cohort 2024/2025 finalists' science and research based innovations in food systems. Dr Zeyad AlZeyadi - General Manager of Partnerships and Capacity Building, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (MEWA KSA) said, 'It was an honor for the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) to serve as a patron of the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit 2025. This summit marked a valuable milestone in advancing regional dialogue on sustainable agricultural practices and ecosystem restoration. The quality of discussions, the diversity of participants, and the solutions-oriented agenda created a powerful platform for collaboration. I was pleased to take part in the closed session discussions, where we explored innovative approaches to soil health, food system transformation, and regenerative practices suited to the region's climate challenges. MEWA also had the opportunity to present key national initiatives that support the transition toward sustainable and resilient agricultural systems in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to continuing the momentum generated by this summit and building stronger partnerships across the MENAT region.' 'We were honored to join the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Summit as an Impact Partner—a groundbreaking step toward reimagining agriculture in one of the world's most challenging regions. This summit wasn't just an event—it was a collective call to action. It brought together leaders, visionaries, and changemakers to forge real solutions for climate resilience, food security, and ecological renewal across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey. At The Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance, we believe that true leadership means building bridges across sectors, nurturing innovation, and empowering communities. We are proud to have contributed to a platform that reflects those values and sets a powerful precedent for future collaboration and impact. Together, we are planting the seeds for a more sustainable and regenerative future. -Eng. Rakan AlOtaibi, Secretariat Director of the Saudi AgriFood Tech Alliance Key Highlights: Royal Endorsements & Leadership: Opening remarks were delivered by HRH Princess Mashael AlShalan and HRH Princess Noura bint Turki Al Saud, cofounders of Aeon Collective highlighting the critical role of regional leadership in advancing nature-positive strategies. High-Level Panels tackled urgent topics including shaping supportive policy frameworks, scaling accessible innovation, unlocking catalytic financial mechanisms, and highlighting successful case studies in regenerative agriculture, to enable climate-resilient agriculture; with expert voices from Estidamah, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations(FAO), International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI-CGIAR, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). EIT Food, Earthna- Qatar Foundation and UN Climate Champions among others. Top Innovation Demo & Exhibition: 20 shortlisted solutions from Goumbook's Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme cohort 2024/2025 were showcased in a live exhibition, with 5 finalists pitching their projects on-stage. The top three winners were awarded grants and support to scale their innovations across the MENAT region. Reveal & Awards Ceremony of the Top 3 winners of Goumbook's Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme cohort 2024/2025, who received $20,000 in grants each, mentorship, incubation opportunities and additional support from the enabling ecosystem of partners that contribute to the initiative; all aimed at supporting them to scale their innovations towards greater social and environmental impact. The winners: Actinobacteria – Isolation and characterisation of water stress tolerant actinobacteria for arid soils, Omaima MARHANE, Morocco Farm to 2Fs (Fuel and Fertiliser) - Anaerobic Digestion converting animal waste into bioenergy & fertilizer, Dr. Budour A. Alghamdi, Eng. Wafa A. Alrasheed, Dr. Adil E. Abdelnour, Estidama, KSA RedDot – RNA-based selective control for Red Palm Weevil, Teodoro Garcia-Millan, Fran Robson, Veronica Greco, UK Regional Consultation Outcomes: A closed-door session brought together high level select to lay the foundation for a regional collaboration across key priorities with the aim to develop a regenerative agriculture framework that positions MENAT as a global seedbed of innovation and a center of excellence for arid land agriculture and climate-resilient food systems. The insights from this session will be published in an upcoming Outcomes & Insights Paper, serving as a regional blueprint for action, guiding the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative's next phase and reinforcing the region's leadership at the intersection of climate, food, and land restoration. This landmark event is the result of Goumbook's rapidly growing MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative, launched in December 2023 with partners including HSBC, SAB, EIT Food, and the UN Climate Change High Level Climate Champions Team. The initiative has already engaged interest from over 660 innovative research & science-based solutions, from 80 research institutions, and 65 countries, and fostered a dynamic network of cross-sector partners. 'This summit represents a major milestone in our journey to regenerate ecosystems and transform agriculture in water-scarce regions,' said Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Founder and Managing Director of Goumbook. 'It is clear from today's dialogue that the MENAT region holds immense potential to lead the way in regenerative solutions, as a seedbed of innovation and a center of excellence for arid, desert and climate resilient agriculture.' As the summit closed, Goumbook reaffirmed its commitment to building an enabling ecosystem that connects science, innovation, policy, and finance — paving the way for towards transformative food systems within a regenerative future for the MENAT region. Supporting information on regenerative agriculture: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports that irrigated agriculture—which increasingly depends on groundwater—consumes around 85% of renewable water resources in the MENAT region. Small-scale family farms, responsible for over 80% of global crop and livestock production, face critical challenges like water scarcity, soil degradation, and limited support, with many proposed innovations remaining inaccessible to them. Approximately 45% of agricultural land is impacted by salinity, nutrient depletion, and erosion, with overall land degradation estimated between 40% and 70% over the past two decades. Regenerative agriculture, through its fundamental 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. About Goumbook: Goumbook is a social enterprise dedicated to accelerating Sustainability and Climate Action in the UAE and beyond since 2009. Goumbook shapes the global sustainability landscape by offering local solutions to corporates, youth, civil society, and the public sector. Through their programmes and initiatives, Goumbook mobilises cross sectorial stakeholders to drive action. By addressing the unique challenges faced by the MENA region, Goumbook ensures that their region's priorities are at the forefront of global sustainability efforts. Goumbook raises awareness, develops and runs initiatives, advise and consult to change mindsets and create impact on the current and future living experience of the people in the MENA region. For more information, please visit:
