An introductory workshop was held today on the project to support innovators and researchers in projects to develop modern technologies to reduce the cost and improve the quality of agricultural products and other local products, organized by the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit in the capital secretariat.
Sanaa - Sheba:
An introductory workshop was held today on the project to support innovators and researchers in projects to develop modern technologies to reduce the cost and improve the quality of agricultural products and other local products, organized by the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit in the capital secretariat, under the slogan “Igniting the spark of innovation and encouraging applied scientific research to localize and develop modern industries and technologies.”
The workshop, which was organized in cooperation with the Ministries of Administration, Local and Rural Development, Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Education and Scientific Research, addressed a number of topics, including introducing the General Authority for Research, Technology and Innovation, and the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit in the secretariat.
The participants in the workshop reviewed the research and innovations of the General Research Authority, which included industries and technologies in the agricultural and fisheries fields, and industries and technologies in localizing the fertilizer and pesticide industries through waste recycling, as well as supporting productive families and food industry factories, and discussing projects that are appropriate and compatible with the nature of the Capital Municipality.
At the workshop, the Deputy Minister of Education, Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hatem Al-Dais, stressed the importance of the workshop in employing scientific research and innovation as strategic tools in the service of agricultural and economic development, by supporting creative ideas and developing effective technologies that contribute to improving local production, raising its efficiency, and reducing its costs, in a way that enhances its competitiveness and sustainability.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Education, within its vision and strategic directions, attaches great importance to strengthening the relationship between research institutions and society, and encouraging researchers to engage in providing realistic solutions to development challenges, most notably achieving food security, supporting the local economy, and reducing dependence on imports.
He appreciated the efforts of the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit in the Capital Municipality, which represents a model of integration between different sectors, and constitutes a stimulating platform for innovators and researchers to transform their ideas into applicable projects with a direct economic and social impact.
Dr. Al-Dais urged the workshop participants to make the most of the discussions, exchange visions, and work in a team spirit in order to develop initiatives and projects that can be financed and implemented, keep pace with the needs of the local market, and support national production.
For his part, the head of the General Authority for Research, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Mounir Al-Qadi, reviewed the Authority’s activities and projects and the achievements it has achieved, explaining that the most prominent difficulties facing the Authority are the coordination gap between the Authority and research institutions.
I consider the workshop a pivotal station in the path of linking scientific and technical research with development and production reality, and it embodies the trend towards transforming scientific innovations into practical solutions that contribute to addressing the challenges facing the agricultural sector and local production in general, whether at the level of reducing costs, raising quality, or improving the efficiency of the production and distribution chain.
Dr. Al-Qadi pointed out that the General Authority for Research, Technology and Innovation is working to build an integrated system for innovation, based on applied scientific research and partnership with all relevant sectors, ensuring that the outputs of scientific research move from the shelves of centers and institutions to the fields of agriculture, industry, and local development.
He stressed the urgent need to support innovators, nurture creative ideas, and provide the necessary funding and technical guidance for them. He stressed the importance of investing in research cadres and providing true incubators for innovation and research centers capable of linking scientific knowledge with practical application, in cooperation with universities, the private sector, and supporting organizations.
In the workshop, which was attended by the President of the General Authority for Agricultural Research, Abdullah Al-Ulafi, the Vice President of the General Authority for Research, Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Houri, the Undersecretaries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources for the Fisheries Sector, Dr. Fawzi Al-Saghir, the Economy, Industry and Investment for the Industrial and Economic Cities Sector, Sami Maqbouli, and the Capital Municipality for Agricultural Affairs, Muhammad Saree, the Executive Director of the Agricultural Initiatives and Projects Financing Unit, Engineer Abdul-Malik Al-Ansi, explained that the goal of the workshop is to find practical and sustainable solutions that contribute to raising production efficiency and improving quality. Local products compete in local markets, which enhances the country's ability to achieve self-sufficiency.
He pointed out that the workshop comes within the framework of the unit’s keenness to empower creative Yemeni minds, and to activate the role of scientific research and innovation in developing the agricultural sector and other productive sectors, by linking financial support to innovative technologies and practical, implementable solutions that achieve a real return on the level of production, quality and cost.
Engineer Al-Ansi pointed out that the Authority has worked, since its establishment, to define national priorities in the agriculture and fisheries sector, and to finance projects and initiatives that contribute to improving local production, enhancing food security, and reducing dependence on imported products. He stressed that innovation is not an intellectual luxury, but rather a developmental necessity in light of the current challenges that the nation is going through, especially in the areas of agricultural and food production.
He stated that the unit seeks, through its projects, to support innovation and scientific research through diversifying funding to the General Authority for Research, Technology and Innovation and providing technical support for research and development projects that are based on modern technologies to localize the manufacture of these technologies locally, with attention to developing them in a way that suits the need.
He touched on the unit’s directions to reduce production costs by finding innovative solutions to rationalize the consumption of resources such as water, energy, and fertilizers, using more efficient technologies, developing and improving the quality of products by applying the best practices and techniques to raise the quality of products and crops, ensuring the safety of food products, and enhancing competitiveness in producing high-quality products at a low cost, enabling them to compete in local and regional markets.
The director of the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit in the secretariat appreciated the support of the leadership of the capital secretariat for all the activities, projects and directions of the unit.
At the conclusion of the workshop, which was attended by member of the administrative body of the local council in the capital secretariat and head of the Planning and Finance Committee, Sharaf Al-Hadi, the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research, and the capital secretariat, represented by the Unit for Financing Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives, signed a cooperation agreement under which the unit will finance seven of the projects that the General Authority for Research, Technology and Innovation is working on.
The agreement was signed by the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Hatem Al-Dais, and the Director of the Agricultural and Fisheries Projects and Initiatives Financing Unit at the Secretariat, Engineer Abdul-Malik Al-Ansi.