Welcome and Registration | 8:30–9:00
Location: Building 19, Level 3 Lobby
INTRODUCTION | 9:00–9:30
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Welcome by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting, and Prof. Mark Tester, Professor of Plant Science and Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST & CSO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms
Official opening by Prof. Tony Chan, President, KAUST
Opening remarks by H.E. Eng. Ahmed Al-Aredhi, CEO of Makkah Regional Development Authority
SESSION 1: FOOD SUPPLY | 9:30–11:00
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Opening by Session Chair Dr. Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb, Director General of Plant Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture of Saudi Arabia (MEWA)
Keynotes:
Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Chief Scientist, FAO
Dr. Ibrahim Al-Turki, Chairman, National Agriculture and Fisheries Committee & Chairman, Agriculture and Water Committee, Riyadh Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Michael Baum, Acting Deputy Director General Research and Research Team Leader - Breeding and Scaling Improved Varieties of Dryland Cereals and Pulses at the Morocco Research Platform Manager, ICARDA
Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, Professor, King Saud University & Technical Advisor, Estidamah
Mr. Sattam Al-Mezyad, Director for Agricultural Investment Abroad, Saudi Arabia Agricultural Development Fund
Morning Break | 11:00–11:30
Location: Building 19, Level 3 Lobby
SESSION 2: WATER USE | 11:30–13:00
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Opening by Session Chair Prof. Matthew McCabe, Professor of Remote Sensing and Water Security and Director of the Climate & Livability Initiative, KAUST
Keynotes:
Prof. Yoshihide Wada, Program Director of the Biodiversity and Natural Resources (BNR) Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis & Chair Professor of Global Water and Food Security at the Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University
Dr. Abdullah Al-Rajhi, Director of the National Center for Agricultural Technology, King Abdullah City for Science and Technology
Dr. Jalal Basahi, Director of the National Water Research Center, Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA)
Mr. Gustavo Diaz, Agriculture and Water Resources Specialist and Consultant, World Bank, UNDP, FAO, MEWA
Lunch | 13:00–14:00
Location: Campus Diner
SESSION 3: FOOD USE | 14:00–15:30
Location: Building 19, Level 3, Hall 3
Opening by Session Chair Dr. Majid Al-Khalaf, Secretary General of the National Nutrition Committee, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) | 5 min
Keynotes:
Dr. Yara Al-Muhtadi, Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Behavior, King Saud University & Head of Scientific Awareness Team of National Nutrition Committee, SFDA
Mr. Faisal bin Sunaid, Director, SFDA, Healthy Food Department
Mr. Abdullah AlDakheelallah, Acting Director of of Risk Assessment Department, SFDA
Mr. Bander Saad Alowais, Head of Food Contaminants Monitoring Program, SFDA
Mr. Sultan Al-Saif, Director of Technical Support, Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC)
Afternoon Break | 15:30–16:00
Location: Building 19, Level 3 Lobby
SESSION 4: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE & THE SAUDI GREEN INITIATIVE | 16:00–17:30
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Opening by Session Chair H.H. Princess Mashael Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, AEON Strategy | 5 min
Confirmed Keynotes:
Prof. Ibrahim Hoteit, Professor of Earth Science and Engineering, KAUST
Prof. Kenneth Strzepek, Research Scientist at the Joint Program and CGCS, MIT & Adjunct Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School of Government & Nonresident Senior Research Fellow, UNU-WIDER & Professor Emeritus, University of Colorado Boulder
Dr. Mari Luomi, Research Fellow, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC)
Ms. Leena Al Olaimy, Founder and CEO, Symbaoisis (Trillion Trees Fund)
Dr. Khaled Alabdulkader, CEO of National Center for Vegetation Cover & Combatting Desertification (NCVC)
RECEPTION | 18:00–19:00
Location: KAUST Beacon Plaza
END OF DAY 1
Welcome and Registration | 8:30–9:00
Location: Building 19, Level 3, Lobby
INTRODUCTION | 9:00–9:30
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Welcome by Prof. Rod Wing, Professor of Plant Science and Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Recap of Sessions 1–4 by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting and Session Chairs
Dr. Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb, Director General of Plant Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture of Saudi Arabia (MEWA)
Prof. Matthew McCabe, Professor of Remote Sensing and Water Security and Director of the Climate & Livability Initiative, KAUST
Dr. Majid Al-Khalaf, Secretary General of the National Nutrition Committee, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
H.H. Princess Mashael Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, AEON Strategy
SESSION 5: THE FUTURE OF ALTERNATIVE PROTEINS IN THE KSA | 9:30–10:30
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Opening by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting
Keynotes:
Dr. David Welch, CSO and Co-Founder, Synthesis Capital
Mr. David Brandes, Co-Founder and CEO, planetary
Fireside Chat with H.R.H. Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal Al Saud, CEO, KBW Ventures, and Prof. Mark Tester, Professor of Plant Science and Associate Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST & CSO and Co-Founder of Red Sea Farms
Morning Break | 10:30–11:00
Location: Building 19, Level 3 Lobby
SESSION 6: TRANSLATING PLANT SCIENCE RESEARCH INTO SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY SOLUTIONS: EXAMPLES FROM THE CENTER FOR DESERT AGRICULTURE | 11:00–12:00
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Opening by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting
Prof. Salim Al-Babili, Professor of Plant Science and Faculty Member of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Prof. Simon Krattinger, Assistant Professor of Plant Science and Faculty Member of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Dr. Nahed Mohammed, Post-Doctoral Fellow with Prof. Rod Wing at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Prof. Ikram Blilou, Professor of Plant Science and Faculty Member of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Lunch | 12:00–13:00
Location: Campus Diner
FOCUS SESSIONS | 13:00–14:00
Format: Participants attend any one of four parallel sessions focusing on specific solutions for sustainable food security in the KSA.
1. Food system education in the KSA: The Edible Schoolyard Project
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Hall 3A
Session Moderator: Ms. Dalia Al-Shahrani, Project Coordinator at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Panelists:
Dr. Badriah Alabdulkarim, Associate Professor of Nutrition, King Saud University & Consultant to the Deputy Minister of Agricultural Affairs, MEWA
Prof. Rod Wing, Professor of Plant Science and Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Prof. Hala Hizam Alotaibi, Professor in Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, King Faisal University
2. Saline agriculture for sustainable food security in the KSA
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Hall 3B
Session Moderator: Dr. Vanessa Melino, Research Scientist at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Panelists:
Prof. Abdelaziz Hirich, Professor, Muhammed VI Polytechnic University, African Sustainable Agriculture Research Institute (ASARI)
Prof. Bilquees Gul, Professor, Institute of Sustainable Halophyte Utilization, University of Karachi
Dr. Alejandro Rios Galvan, Director of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium and Chief Research Scientist, Khalifa University
3. Controlled environment agriculture for sustainable food security in the KSA
Location: Building 19, Exhibition Halls 1 & 2
Session Moderator: Dr. Rebekah Waller, Agricultural Specialist at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Panelists:
Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Harbi, Professor, King Saud University & Technical Advisor, Estidamah
Prof. Murat Kacira, Professor and Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center, University of Arizona
Dr. Ryan Lefers, CEO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms
Mr. Sadek Al-Ramadan, Chairman, Al-Yaseen Agriculture Company
4. Regulatory frameworks to facilitate agricultural biotechnology in the KSA
Location: Building 20 Level 2+ VIP Balcony
Session Moderator: Prof. Brande Wulff, Associate Professor of Plant Science and Faculty Member of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Confirmed Panelists:
Dr. Peter Slade, Head of Regulatory Affairs Food Department, NEOM
Dr. Jonathan Jones, Senior Scientist, Sainsbury Lab & Professor, University of East Anglia
Prof. Salim Babili, Professor of Plant Science and Faculty Member of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
BREAKOUT SESSIONS: WORKSHOPPING SOLUTIONS FOR THE KSA | 14:30–16:30
Format: Invited participants* are divided into 4 breakout sessions, corresponding with the 4 central issues of the Workshop. Each breakout session will have multiple round-table discussions. The Chairs will work with Table Leaders and Table Notetakers to form key takeaways from each breakout session, and then present these back to the larger audience.
* Note that the Breakout Sessions can only be by invitation.
1. Breakout Session: Food Supply
Location: Building 19, Room TBD
Session Chair: Dr. Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb, Director General of Plant Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture of Saudi Arabia (MEWA)
2. Breakout Session: Water Use
Location: Building 19, Room TBD
Session Chair: Prof. Matthew McCabe, Professor of Remote Sensing and Water Security and Director of the Climate & Livability Initiative, KAUST
3. Breakout Session: Food Use
Location: Building 19, Room TBD
Session Chair: Dr. Majid Al-Khalaf, Secretary General of the National Nutrition Committee, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
4. Breakout Session: Environmental Change & the Saudi Green Initiative
Location: Building 19, Room TBD
Session Chair: H.H. Princess Mashael Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, AEON Strategy
OPEN-HOUSE TOURS FOR KAUST SPIN-OUTS AND CENTER FOR DESERT AGRICULTURE FACILITIES | 14:30–16:30
Location: KAUST Research and Technology Park, Building 2, Level 2, & Plant Growth Core Labs Research Greenhouse
Participating KAUST Spin-outs:
Red Sea Farms
Edama
GrowBioM
Mirai Solar
RECEPTION | 17:00–18:00
Location: University Library
E-Poster Presentations by KAUST students and researchers
END OF DAY 2
END OF WORKSHOP
Welcome and Registration | 9:00–10:00
Location: Building 20 Lobby
INTRODUCTION | 10:00–10:30
Location: Building 20 Auditorium
Welcome by Prof. Rod Wing, Professor of Plant Science and Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Opening remarks by Dr. Lawrence (Larry) Carin, KAUST Provost
Official opening by H.E. Eng. Mansour bin Hilal Al Mushaiti , Vice Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture
Opening statement by Prof. Mark Tester, Professor of Plant Science and Associate Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST & CSO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms
WORKSHOP RECAP | 10:30–11:00
Location: Building 20 Auditorium
Overall summary by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting
Focused summaries of Workshop by Session Chairs
Dr. Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb, Director General of Plant Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture of Saudi Arabia (MEWA)
Prof. Matthew McCabe, Professor of Remote Sensing and Water Security and Director of the Climate & Livability Initiative, KAUST
Dr. Majid Al-Khalaf, Secretary General of the National Nutrition Committee, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
H.H. Princess Mashael Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, AEON Strategy
Morning Break | 11:00–11:30
Location: Building 20 Lobby
SESSION 7: PERSPECTIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY — PART I | 11:30–13:00
Location: Building 20 Auditorium
Format: Discussion panels with key food system stakeholders from across the KSA, moderated by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting.
1. Government and Inter-government Perspective
Confirmed Panelists:
Mr. William England, Senior Vice-President, The Saudi Agriculture and Livestock Investment Company (SALIC)
Dr. Ali bin Mohammed Al Shaikhi, CEO of the National Fisheries Development Program
Dr. Suliman Ali Al-Khateeb, Director General of Plant Resources, Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA)
Dr. Majid Al-Khalaf, Secretary General of the National Nutrition Committee, Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA)
2. Giga Projects Perspective
Panelists:
Mr. Ray Moule, Senior Manager - Agricultural Development, NEOM
Dr. Maram Abadi, Senior Special Projects Manager, Red Sea Development Company & VP in Council of Young Arab Researchers & L'Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science Fellow & Forbes Ignite Fellow
Mr. Ahmed Daoud, Director of Innovation Futures, Royal Commission of Al-Ula
Lunch | 13:00–13:30
Location: Building 20 Lobby
SESSION 7: PERSPECTIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY – PART II |13:30–15:00
Location: Building 20 Auditorium
Format: Discussion panels with key food system stakeholders from across the KSA, moderated by Workshop Facilitator Dr. Paul Dalby, Director and Principal Consultant, In Fusion Consulting.
1. Corporations Perspective
Panelists:
Dr. Rashed Al-Arfaj, Vice President of Saudia Airlines Catering Company
Mr. Sadek Al-Ramadan, Chairman, Al-Yaseen Agriculture Company
Eng. Ahmad Alballaa, Managing Director, Naqua
Mr. Richard Salisbury, Executive Vice President of Quality, Regulatory, HSS & Sustainability
2. Start-ups Perspective
Panelists:
Dr. Maged Saad, CEO and Co-Founder, GrowBioM & Senior Research Scientist with Prof. Heribert Hirt at the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST
Dr. Ryan Lefers, CEO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms
Dr. Mitchell Morton, CEO and Co-Founder, Edama Organic Solutions
Dr. Michael Salvador, CEO and Co-Founder, Mirai Solar & Technology Lead, KAUST Solar Center
CONCLUSIONS AND DECLARATIONS | 15:00–16:00
Location: Building 20 Auditorium
Summit Declarations by Prof. Mark Tester, Professor of Plant Science and Associate Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST & CSO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms
Closing remarks by H.H. Princess Mashael Al-Shalan, Founding Partner, AEON Strategy
Conclusion by Prof. Rod Wing, Professor of Plant Science and Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST, and Prof. Mark Tester, Professor of Plant Science and Associate Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, KAUST & CSO and Co-Founder, Red Sea Farms