RIYADH —
The Saudi Agriculture Exhibition 2018, under the patronage Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and organized by Riyadh Exhibitions Company was inaugurated on Sunday at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center (RICEC). With the participation of agriculture officials and regional and international investors, the exhibition, in its bid to help ensure food self-sufficiency, provides local and international companies with a global venue to showcase their latest agricultural technologies and services, specifically focusing on animal and aquatic plantations, crop farms, organic agriculture, and fish farming.
The Saudi Aquaculture Society and the Saudi Organic Farming Association are among the strategic partners of the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition 2018. The event will explore the most promising investment opportunities within the local aquaculture sector to ensure food security in the Kingdom and increase its food production capacity to 1 million tons by 2029. Workshops were held during the opening day to highlight the role of organic agriculture in providing safe and environment- friendly organic and animal food products in the local market. Findings of a study on increasing organic production were presented during the workshops to not only meet the increasing demand but also to help preserve the environment and natural resources and promote efficient consumption of irrigation water. Participants of the interactive workshops also discussed current and future investment opportunities in the local sector, updating the international community about aquaculture developments in line with the government’s policy of making the Kingdom a top global producer of safe and high-quality food grown and harvested in sustainable ways.
Mohammad Al Al-Sheikh, Head of Marketing, Riyadh Exhibitions Company, said: “The successful and fruitful opening of the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition 2018 drew large regional and international participants, which reflects their growing confidence in the Saudi market. Saudi Arabia offers promising growth opportunities in the areas of animal and organic agriculture as well as in aquaculture. These fields are critical to our food security efforts. On the first day, the event focused on aquaculture and organic agriculture as the cornerstone of the government’s sustainable food security programs in line with Saudi Vision 2030. We staged two workshops during which regional and international leaders were engaged in deep discussions of key industry issues. The participants were impressed by the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to employ aquaculture and organic agriculture to drive its economic progress and sustainable development.”
Al Al- Sheikh moreover said: “Focusing on aquaculture is aligned with the government’s initiatives to meet the local demand for marine products by 2030, enhancing its competitiveness in providing safe and reliable supply of these resources. We look forward to improving further our partnerships with industry stakeholders according to our food security objectives. We invite visitors to check the latest developments related to agriculture and water and animal resources, including the implementation of strict policies and high standards to promote the sustainable development of our agricultural and environmental systems.”
The 37th session of the Saudi Agriculture Exhibition will run until October 10 in conjunction with the Saudi Food Exhibition and the Saudi Food Pack Exhibition. Major investors, pioneers, consultant and researchers will take part in the exhibition’s public sessions and technical workshops, such as ‘Date Production Mechanisms’ and ‘Natural Additives for Natural Feeds’ forums. — SG
Government to raise marine products output to 1mn tons by 2029
