The university hosts more than 220 innovative ideas to reduce food loss and waste

The activities of the «Hacthon for Food Loss and Waste», organized by the University of Qassim, represented by the Institute of Studies and Consulting Services, in cooperation with the General Authority for Food Security, lasted for two days in the main lobby of the university campus, and was held under the title “Today we innovate for a future without food loss and waste”, after receiving more than 220 innovative ideas aimed at engaging experts in addressing the issue of food loss and waste through practical solutions that are feasible to implement, and stimulating innovation across the five stages of the food value chain.

During his speech at the launch of the events, the Dean of the Institute of Studies and Consulting Services at the University, Dr. Abdulrahman bin Ibrahim Al-Attiyah, emphasized that the Hackathons are based on national and international trends to reduce food loss and waste, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the twelfth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, noting the university’s keenness to embrace ideas and transform them into solutions with value and sustainable impact with the support and sponsorship of the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Sharq.

Al-Attiyah explained that the acceptance of the submissions came after a selection process involving 600 ideas, with more than 100 mentors and judges available to contribute to developing the ideas and turning them into reality. He called on the participants to capitalize on this opportunity, and expressed his gratitude to the university president for his support and his keenness to hold hackathons in the Qassim region, which is the first of its kind in the Kingdom.

For his part, Advisor to His Excellency the Chairman of the General Authority for Food Security, Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Amari, expressed their happiness with the partnership with Al-Qassim University in organizing the hackathons, praising the program’s plan, objectives, arbitration and evaluation mechanisms, and providing the university with the opportunity to participate remotely.

Al-Amari emphasized the Authority’s aspiration that the hackathon will lead to innovative solutions and opportunities that contribute to reducing food loss and waste, noting that the submitted ideas can, if proven successful, contribute to reducing loss and reaching the goals of reducing loss and waste, which the Authority is working on in partnership with the university, and he expressed his thanks to all the contestants.

For his part, Mr. Nasser Bin Bandar Al Mutairi, Director of Community Responsibility at Bank Albilad, expressed the bank’s pride in partnering with Al Qassim University in organizing hackathons, and its aspiration for quality and innovative partnerships that support its objectives in the field of food security. He pointed out that the bank’s initiatives in community responsibility related to food security have had a significant impact, stressing the importance of innovative solutions being applicable, the role of business incubators in supporting and enhancing their success, and wishing all participants success.