NEOM signs deal to help revolutionize sustainable food

NEOM signs deal to help revolutionize sustainable food
From left to right: Chef Norbert Niederkofler, Juan Carlos Motamayor, Saudi Chef Nihal Felemban, Neom's Senior Communications Manager Tarek ElMoukachar (moderator). (AN Photo by Nada Alturki)
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Updated 08 March 2023
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NEOM signs deal to help revolutionize sustainable food

NEOM signs deal to help revolutionize sustainable food
  • The partnership aims to increase the percentage of locally-sourced food supplies, create awareness around food production methods in NEOM

BRUNECK: As land loss and soil erosion have threatened harvests across the globe for decades, Saudi Arabia is at the forefront of reshaping sustainable food culture for generations to come. 

The NEOM smart city has announced a partnership with CARE’s, an organization committed to promoting ethical and sustainable food, during an event hosted in Bruneck’s AlpiNN Food Space & Restaurant in Italy. 

The partnership will create a manifesto describing the principles of food security, innovative gastronomy, sustainable cooking and farming methods, and ethical supply.

The two key sustainability requirements relate to water use and soil conservation, and more will be determined as the partnership develops, the organizations said. 

Juan Carlos Motamayor, executive director of NEOM’s food sector, told Arab News: “We have this focus on producing as much food as is economically efficient and pioneer in ways of becoming more self-sufficient when it comes to food. 

“We (launched) the CARE’s partnerships to help us train chefs and professionals in the culinary industry, which will allow us to promote the consumption of locally-sourced food.”

The partnership aims to increase the percentage of locally-sourced food supplies, create awareness around food production methods in NEOM, establish quality training programs for Saudi chefs and achieve a Michelin star, or potentially a green star, restaurant in the upcoming years.  

The training will also involve providing feedback to producers at NEOM city on how to elevate food production to align with the standards of the Kingdom’s advancing high-end cuisine industry.

Saudi Arabia is among the world’s biggest importers of fruits and vegetables. However, NEOM said that innovation and the use of local land to create a self-sufficient industry could revolutionize agriculture. 

“NEOM is about diversifying the economy of the Kingdom through developing industries that tackle the greatest challenges that we’re facing,” Motamayor said. 

“One of them is climate change, which impacts food production, and food production impacts climate change. 

“To make food production and consumption more sustainable, we have to focus on demonstrating the value of technologies that are available at smaller scales, not necessarily at large commercial scales.”

He said that by demonstrating water efficiency and the ability to grow crops in high temperatures and drought, the model could potentially be implemented in countries across the globe, diminishing the effects of climate change as a potential result.

“Other regions in the world can use the technology and know-how we would like to support, not only from the NEOM region to the Kingdom, but beyond,” Motamayor said.

In partnership with CARE’s, NEOM will align the right expertise with the technologies needed to push the culinary industry forward. 

Motamayor said: “There are multiple chef organizations with multiple stars, but CARE’s is the only organization in the world that has developed and promoted this 'Cook the Mountain' concept. It’s a concept where they tackle sustainability from multiple angles, but one of the key angles is the promotion of locally-sourced food. 

“With the opportunity to have chefs like Norbert (Niederkofler) creating unique culinary offerings with Saudi chefs, we can bring attention to the benefits of having fresh food and having higher flavor and higher nutritional content.

The CARE’s program was originally conceived by chef Norbert Niederkofler of the St. Hubertus restaurant in San Cassiano and Paolo Ferretti, a business owner from Bolzano. 

Cook the Mountain champions the restructuring of economic-social development by exploring the relationships between production, product, territory and consumption.

Norbert works with farmers, breeders, local producers, territory artisans, and chefs, taking on the role of an emotional educator promoting the idea of respecting nature and a region’s landscape. 

“The next part of sustainability is the producers, farmers, growers, forages, to implement people like this in the whole process… With Cook the  Mountain, we realized how important the local people are, especially because they know the soil, they know the land, they know what they can do with nature,” Niederkofler told Arab News. 

The overall impact of the initiative also reduces food transportation carbon emissions, which creates around a third of the missions of the whole food industry. 

While the initiative is able to be maintained for small restaurants such as AlpiNN, home to Cook the Mountain, it has yet to be implemented on a larger scale.

The partnership hopes to produce an actionable system in which millions of people can live a self-sufficient life, including NEOM’s The Line project which is projected to sustain nearly nine million residents by 2045.

“This is what we have to take responsibility: to put all the knowledge that we built up in the last years from our side, work together with scientists and see what kind of solutions we can find for the future,” Niederkofler said.  

It is predicted that the worldwide arable lands only have 30 harvests remaining until complete depletion, Motamayor said, and the Global Soil Partnership reported that 75 billion tons of soil is eroded every year. 

Through the right training on respectful food sourcing, ethical supply, and a focus on workers’ welfare, chef Norbert believes that Saudi talents have the potential to pave the way globally for an alternative urban living system. 

He said: “When you respect nature around you, you can get three (Michelin) stars, even with a green star — because we showed it and it was done. This means that you maintain the culture of a country and imitate the traditions of a country. 

“The most important thing for the future is the roots. When you maintain this and in this way, as a young chef from Saudi, they have the chance to go up to the top.”


Museum Professional Association established in Riyadh

Museum Professional Association established in Riyadh
Updated 11 sec ago
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Museum Professional Association established in Riyadh

Museum Professional Association established in Riyadh
  • Princess Haifa bint Mansour bin Bandar said the association’s primary objective was to manage and guide museums

RIYADH: The National Center for Non-profit Sector has approved the establishment of a Museum Professional Association, which will be headquartered in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Princess Haifa bint Mansour bin Bandar has been appointed as chair of the association’s board of directors. Other board members include Tahani Al-Mahmoud as vice president, Laila Al-Faddagh as financial supervisor, and Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Noura Al-Gosaibi, Sarah Al-Omran and Noura Al-Zamil.

Princess Haifa said the association’s primary objective was to manage and guide museums, while fostering an environment that promoted innovation and professional development.

She added that it aimed to attract and support professional talent, organize training programs, provide the necessary tools and resources, recognize and honor artistic achievements and facilitate effective communication among professionals in the field.

The association was established in accordance with the Ministry of Culture’s strategy for the nonprofit sector. This aims to establish a diverse system of nonprofit organizations, including 16 professional associations in 13 cultural sectors across the Kingdom.


KSrelief, UNDP call for joint action to address humanitarian, development crises

KSrelief, UNDP call for joint action to address humanitarian, development crises
Updated 26 September 2023
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KSrelief, UNDP call for joint action to address humanitarian, development crises

KSrelief, UNDP call for joint action to address humanitarian, development crises
  • Organizations committed to aid projects globally including Yemen, Somalia
  • Nations should provide more financial support to deal with funding crisis, say officials

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief and the UN Development Programme recently organized a high-level roundtable discussion titled “The Humanitarian, Development, and Peace Nexus: From Theory to Practice with the Compass Towards 2030” on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York City.

Participating in the discussion, which was moderated by Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Arab States Abdallah Al-Dardari, were KSrelief’s Supervisor-General Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner, and International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.

Al-Rabeeah said that KSrelief was committed to providing humanitarian assistance to help alleviate suffering across the world, and ensure recovery and development that can lead to sustainable peace.

He added that if all these elements can be brought together, “we can hope to save lives at the onset of a crisis and also improve the lives of generations to come.”

KSrelief, he added, would keep expanding its partnership with the UNDP through projects in Yemen and Somalia.

Steiner said that the collective results of humanitarian, development and peace-building support in countries with protracted crises are essential to keep them on the right track to achieve the promise of prosperity for the world, as envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

At the close of the roundtable discussion, KSrelief and the UNDP called for an integrated approach that links humanitarian, development and peace-building actors to face increasing humanitarian emergencies and development crises.

Earlier, the KSrelief chief participated in a high-level meeting on bridging the humanitarian funding gap with Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

The session was organized by Saudi Arabia, Sweden and the EU, in the presence of representatives from several countries and humanitarian organizations, on the sidelines of the UN assembly.

Al-Rabeeah said that humanitarian efforts must be combined to expand the scope of donor countries, bodies and individuals, and raise the level of coordination and impact of humanitarian aid.

He noted that Saudi Arabia holds annually the “Gift of Dates” campaign in partnership with the World Food Programme costing over $136 million, which benefits 72 countries around the world.

Al-Rabeeah said KSrelief has supported the global response to the COVID-19 crisis by providing vaccines, medical devices, medicines and care units.

Al-Rabeeah also attended a session on the Rohingya crisis with Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikha Hasina Wajid.

He stressed that Saudi Arabia has been a firm supporter of the international community’s stand vis-a-vis the Rohingya, to ensure they live in peace and dignity. He said that the Kingdom has hosted 260,000 Rohingya refugees, providing healthcare, employment and education at a cost of $2.25 billion.

He added that Saudi Arabia has also been supporting Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and other countries over the past few years through 43 projects costing $186 million, for emergency relief, education, shelter and health.

In addition, he said KSrelief carried out 25 other projects costing more than $26 million.


Saudi authorities thwart massive hash-smuggling attempt

Saudi authorities thwart massive hash-smuggling attempt
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi authorities thwart massive hash-smuggling attempt

Saudi authorities thwart massive hash-smuggling attempt

RIYADH: Drug smugglers were caught with a massive 114,973 kg haul of cannabis in Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority found the drugs concealed in a vehicle’s boot as it passed through the Empty Quarter crossing.
The authority said it remains vigilant against smuggling, working closely with its partners in the General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
The authority urges the public to report any suspicious activity or information related to smuggling by contacting the responsible authorities.


Saudi Arabia condemns attack that killed two Bahrain soldiers

Saudi Arabia condemns attack that killed two Bahrain soldiers
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia condemns attack that killed two Bahrain soldiers

Saudi Arabia condemns attack that killed two Bahrain soldiers
  • Bahrain’s military command said several other soldiers injured by the drone attack

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned an attack on its territory that killed two Bahraini military personnel near the southern border with Yemen.

The Saudi foreign ministry voiced its “condemnation and denunciation” of a “treacherous attack on the defence force of the sister Kingdom of Bahrain stationed on the southern border of the kingdom, which resulted in the martyrdom of a number of its brave soldiers and the injury of others,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

“We express our deepest and sincerest condolences to the leadership and people of the sisterly state of Bahrain, and to the families of the heroic martyrs.”

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia stands by the sisterly state of Bahrain and renews its stance of rejection to the continued flow of weapons to the terrorist Houthi militia as well as calls to ban arms export to Yemeni territories.”

Bahrain’s military command said a drone attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels killed the two Bahraini soldiers — one an officer — at Saudi Arabia’s southern border early Monday. The soldiers had been patrolling the area.

The Houthis did not immediately acknowledge carrying out the attack as efforts to strike a peace deal between Riyadh and the rebels continue.

The military’s statement, carried by the state-run Bahrain News Agency, said “a number” of Bahraini soldiers were also wounded in the strike, without elaborating.

“This terrorist attack was carried out by the Houthis, who sent aircraft targeting the position of the Bahraini guards on the southern border of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia despite the halt of military operations between the warring sides in Yemen,” the statement said.

 

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) condemned on Tuesday the drone attack.  

Hussein Ibrahim Taha, the Secretary-General of the OIC, expressed deep condolences to the families of the two individuals killed, as well as to the government and citizens of Bahrain. He also wished a swift recovery for those wounded in the attack. 

Secretary-General Taha emphasized that such provocative actions are incompatible with ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve the Yemen crisis, adding that the OIC remained committed to supporting diplomatic endeavors aimed at ending the Yemen conflict and achieving lasting peace.  


Saudi prince becomes viral sensation serving and cooking at newly opened restaurant

Saudi prince becomes viral sensation serving and cooking at newly opened restaurant
Updated 26 September 2023
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Saudi prince becomes viral sensation serving and cooking at newly opened restaurant

Saudi prince becomes viral sensation serving and cooking at newly opened restaurant
  • Prince Nayef bin Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz donned chef’s apron, joined staff at Makarem Najd restaurant in Jeddah
  • Prince can be seen cooking chicken over charcoal and explaining restaurant’s food safety accreditation to a customer

JEDDAH: A Saudi prince has caused a social media sensation with video clips of him serving and cooking for customers at his newly opened restaurant.

Prince Nayef bin Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz donned a chef’s apron and joined the staff to offer traditional Saudi cuisine such as mandi, jareesh, kabsa, mitazeez, margoog, harissa, and arekah at the Makarem Najd restaurant in Jeddah.

In one video clip, the prince can be seen cooking chicken over charcoal, and explaining the restaurant’s food safety accreditation to a customer.

“Young people say to me, ‘Why are you wearing this, and why are you working like this?’ This is my job,” the prince said. “I like to share my work with my team. Work is an honor, it is not a shame, and there is no prophet who did not herd sheep — work on yourself.”

Fans on social media approved. Abdul Rahman Al-Solaim said: “This is a message to some of our young men and women who may refuse to work in such professions. Prince Nayef bin Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz mobilizes enthusiasm and promotes the culture of self-employment.”

Another user, Mohammed Al-Shehri, said: “A beautiful and wonderful scene of Prince Nayef personally supervising and serving the patrons of a restaurant.”

The son of inventor, philanthropist, and former Tabuk Gov. Prince Mamdouh bin Abdulaziz, the prince has followed in his father’s footsteps doing charitable work.

One of his projects involved the creation of a rescue and relief helicopter with firefighting capabilities, an initiative that earned him a grand prize from the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.