Forward Talks

2024-25 Winners of the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Venture Programme

Tatiana Antonelli-Abella sits down with the winners of the 2024-25 cohort of the MENAT Regenerative Agriculture Initiative. Now in its second year, the Venture Programme received 660 registration and 190 innovation solutions, each focused on soil regeneration, climate and water-resilient agricultural practices, and addressing food security. This years’s winners are: Omaima Marhane from Actinobacteria, developing solutions to tackle water stress in arid soils. Dr. Budour A. Alghamdi, Eng. Wafa A. Alrasheed, and Dr. Adil E. Abdelnour from Farm to 2Fs, turning animal waste into bioenergy and fertilizer. ⁠Teodoro Garcia-Millan, Fran Robson, and Veronica Greco from RedDot, revolutionizing pest control with RNA-based technology. You can find out more about the Venture Programme, the winners, and the Top 20 solutions here. You can also listen to the winners of the first cohort here. We also want to thank our partners, HSBC and ⁠Saudi Awal Bank, who worked with us to both upskill and empower innovative solutions like these through funding and mentorship, helping them progress towards becoming viable commercial possibilities.

Cultivating the Future: Transforming Arid Agriculture with Dr. Ismahane Elouafi

For the final episode of our special mini-series, Tatiana Antonelli-Abella is joined by Dr. Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR, the world’s largest agricultural innovation network. Dr. Elouafi was just named as one of the 100 most influential people of 2025 by TIME Magazine. Dr. Elouafi shares more about her work at CGIAR and their groundbreaking research, which has transformed food security in regions facing salinity and water scarcity.This episode is part of Our Land, Our Future, a special mini-series of Forward Talks by Goumbook focused on land restoration and combating desertification.This special series is brought to you in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank. Find out more at: https://www.sab.com/esg/.

Polar regions sentinels of climate change, biodiversity, and human resilience, with Wassim Said

Tatiana Antonelli-Abella is joined by Wassim Said for a special episode of Forward Talks to mark the inaugural World Day for Glaciers and 2025 being the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Wassim is a Steering Committee member of the Emirates Polar Program in addition to being an Advisor with the UAE’s Presidential Court.Wassim explains the critical role of glaciers as freshwater sources and in the context of climate change, and the work of the Emirates Polar Program.

Take a Breath Webinar 1: Indoor Air Quality and Health: Global to Local Challenges and Opportunities

Part of ‘Take a Breath’ Webinar Series: "Breathing into the Future: Creating Healthier Spaces for Resilient Cities and Communities”. Our opening session, "Indoor Air Quality and Health: Global to Local Challenges and Opportunities" was held on Wednesday, February 19, 2025. Panel of experts included:Heba Safi – World Health Organisation, Technical Officer on Air Quality and HealthVahid Hosseini- Lead on Transportation-Related Air Pollution at UNU-INWEHKholood Altassan - Assistant Professor in Environmental and Occupational Health and Head of the Preventive Medicine and Public Health Unit at King Saud UniversityFrank Hammes - IQAir Global CEO (IQAir: First in Air Quality)For more information on Take a Breath visit: www.TakeaBreath.ae

FAO’s Role in Combating Desertification: Insights with Feras Ziadat

Tatiana Antonelli-Abella is joined by Feras Ziadat, who is currently a Land and Water Officer with a specific focus on land resource management and planning at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.Mr. Ziadat played a pivotal role in coordinating the FAO flagship report titled The State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture, SOLO, and he also updating the FAO Guide on integrated land use planning. In this episode, he talks about fostering participatory and integrated land use planning, combating land degradation and desertification, and the dangers of sand and dust storms. Prior to this role, Mr. Ziadat held the position of Senior Scientist at ICARDA and served as an Associate Professor at the University of Jordan. He has also served as the chair of the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.This episode is part of Our Land, Our Future, a special mini-series of Forward Talks by Goumbook focused on land restoration and combating desertification.This special series is brought to you in partnership with Saudi Awwal Bank. Find out more at: https://www.sab.com/esg/.