Badir Programme Launches the First Agri-Tech Hackathon in Saudi Arabia
The hackathon will be hosted from September 26 to 28 in Al-Qassim.
The Badir Programme for Technology Incubators and Accelerators pairs up with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and Faisal bin Mishal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Community “Mojtamae”, will launch the first agricultural technology hackathon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September.
"Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 program aims to adopt a more sustainable, productive, and efficient food system. Our joint ‘Agricultural Techniques Hackathon’ with Mujtami will help generate fresh innovative ideas and solutions to transform the existing food system in the Kingdom, which will lead to reduction of natural resources waste, increase in the efficiency and quality of production, and higher economic return," comments Nawaf AlSahaf, CEO of the Badir Programme.
The “Agri-tech Hackathon” will be held from September 26 to 28, 2019 in Al Qassim region and is targeting programmers, designers, entrepreneurs, web developers, owners of innovative ideas and industry specialists from the GCC and the Middle East’s market. The hackathon will consist of three paths comprising marketing and growth, management and maintenance of agricultural projects, and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data in pest and agricultural control. A jury of experts will review the most outstanding ideas and solutions allocated to solving the challenges facing the agricultural sector.
The most prominent projects within the three tracks of the Hackathon will be included into Badir’s dedicated plan within its accelerators programme, who will receive a range of advisory services and intensive training and mentorship programmes to develop entrepreneurial innovations and transform them into viable solutions within 90 working days and up to the incubation of the projects to ensure their successful efforts.
According to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the agricultural sector is one of the main pillars for supporting Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, as the sector contributes to the 25% of all food available for consumption, 53 billion Saudi Riyals to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and caters to around 450,000 employees across the various regions of the Kingdom.
