Sustainability Center leads agricultural innovation at the International Bridge Hackathon

An international launch towards a promising agricultural future

In a strategic move reflecting Saudi Arabia’s commitment to enhancing food security and technological innovation, the National Center for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development (Estidama) led the sustainable agriculture track within the first phase of the “Jisr” hackathon. This prominent technology event, organized by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, represents a leading global platform that brings together creative minds to find radical solutions to the environmental and agricultural challenges facing the world today.

General context and history of agricultural transformation in the Kingdom

Historically, Saudi Arabia and many other countries in the Middle East have faced significant challenges in the agricultural sector due to the harsh desert environment, scarce groundwater, and high temperatures. With the launch of Saudi Vision 2030, the urgent need to transition to sustainable agriculture and adopt modern technologies (AgriTech) to reduce water consumption and increase productivity has become apparent. In this context, the Sustainability Center was established as the research and applied arm leading this transformation, working to localize and adapt modern agricultural technologies to the local environment to ensure the sustainability of resources for future generations.

The role of the 'Sustainability' Center in the Bridge Hackathon

The Sustainability Center took full and comprehensive leadership of the sustainable agriculture track at the hackathon. Its responsibilities included designing the scientific and technical challenges, providing meticulous technical oversight of the submitted projects, and managing the virtual judging process. This pivotal role ensured that the hackathon's outcomes would be geared towards developing practical, applicable solutions with a sustainable environmental and economic impact.

Broad international participation and challenges facing the agricultural sector

The event witnessed a large turnout, with 128 teams registering. Of these, 25 qualified for the virtual phase to further develop their projects through an intensive training program that included workshops and mentoring sessions. A distinguishing feature of this event was the significant international participation, encompassing nine countries: Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

The participating teams focused on addressing the most prominent challenges facing the agricultural sector, including:

• Water scarcity and how to improve the efficiency of water resource use.
• Declining agricultural productivity and ways to improve it through technology.
• Limited access to markets and supply chains.
• Adapting to harsh climatic conditions and global climate change.

Importance and expected impact (locally, regionally, and internationally)

The significance of the 'Bridge' hackathon and its sustainable agriculture track extends beyond local boundaries to encompass regional and international dimensions. Locally, these innovations contribute to achieving the goals of Vision 2030 related to food and water security, and support the national economy by reducing reliance on imports. Regionally, the developed solutions offer a model that can be replicated in the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries, which share similar climatic and geographical challenges. Internationally, this event underscores the Kingdom's position as a global platform that attracts innovative minds and effectively contributes to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to eradicating hunger and addressing climate change.

In conclusion, this achievement reflects the status of 'sustainability' as a key enabler of the agricultural innovation system, transforming difficult challenges into promising investment and development opportunities, shaping the features of a green and sustainable agricultural future.