Since his appointment as Crown Prince in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has pursued the ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy away from fossil fuels.

A key element of this vision is NEOM, a planned megacity covering an area the size of Belgium, featuring high-tech projects like 'The Line'—originally designed as a 106-mile-long urban corridor.

It was announced that 'The Line' has now been scaled back to just one-and-a-half miles, a 98% reduction, due to practical and economic considerations.

Analysts have long doubted the feasibility of such vast, futuristic projects, some of which advertise technology yet to be invented.

Saudi officials maintain NEOM will be built in phases, with 15 separate sites announced, including Oxagon, a futuristic port city, and Treyam, a luxury resort with a record-length rooftop pool.

At full capacity, promotional materials suggest The Line could house up to nine million residents and aims to boost Saudi Arabia’s population and economic capacity.

The project’s initial facilities, like its first hotel and cultural asset, are set to open in 2024, and the larger goals include securing global supply chains and exporting high-tech products.

Vision 2030 is also focused on social reforms, such as increasing women’s participation in the workforce, which has risen by 17.4% over five years, with women now making up more than a third of the workforce.

These reforms aim to create a more inclusive and prosperous society, encouraging women into leadership roles and providing tens of thousands of high-quality jobs.

The government has also implemented structural reforms in financial and economic sectors and plans to attract investments of SR1.3 trillion and multiply advanced technology exports by six times.

MBS has worked to curtail the influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment by restricting the powers of the religious police, further signaling social change.

Since his appointment as Crown Prince in 2017, Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) has pursued the ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy away from fossil fuels.

Title:

Content: RIYADH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman highlighted the remarkable achievements made by Saudi Arabia ever since the launch of its Vision 2030 and the government’s relentless efforts to implement structural reforms in the financial and economic sectors. The Crown Prince, who is also chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, said this in a statement issued on the occasion of the approval of the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2024 by the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman underscored that the Kingdom is witnessing sustainable economic growth in light of the great development capabilities and opportunities that the Kingdom enjoys within the framework of the Vision 2030 to enable it to move forward towards a better future worthy of its status in accordance with the directives of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman. “This produced a clear and prominent impact on the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) of non-oil sectors.”

The Crown Prince affirmed the commitment made by the government in the budget for the fiscal year 2024 so as to enhance economic growth through the expansion of government spending. “The budget figures announced by King Salman come supportive and enabling many programs and initiatives. These include investments to strengthen infrastructure, raise the quality of services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, in addition to developing promising economic sectors, enhancing investment attraction, stimulating industries, and raising the proportion of local content and non-oil Saudi exports,” he said while praising the effective and important role of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the National Development Fund.

The Crown Prince emphasized that work would continue to develop the Kingdom’s public financial performance, by increasing financial capacity and building government reserves, in a way that enhances the capacity of the Kingdom’s economy, maintains sustainable levels of public debt, and enables it to confront any developments or crises that may arise in the future. “The increase in spending is mainly due to the government’s keenness to continue developing the level of public services provided to citizens, expatriates and visitors, as well as to implement many projects and expand spending on sectoral and regional development strategies that would achieve positive structural changes, leading to expanding and diversifying the economic base,” he said.

The Crown Prince stressed the government’s keenness on developing and strengthening partnership with the private sector so as to enable and motivate it to play its major role in achieving economic diversification, as far as to enable the labor market to absorb more of the Saudi workforce, create job opportunities in the labor market and reduce unemployment rates among Saudis. “The total number of Saudis in the labor market this year jumped to 2.3 million, in addition to improving the investment environment to be an attractive environment that contributes to raising the proportion of domestic and foreign investment, developing non-oil exports and improving the non-oil trade balance of payments,” he said.

The Crown Prince emphasized that the journey of economic diversification continues through supporting promising sectors, as the Kingdom works to raise tourism targets to 150 million visitors internally and externally by 2030 in addition to building an effective sports sector through the “Investment and Privatization Project for Sports Clubs,” in order to achieve the goals of the Vision 2030 in the sports sector, as these sectors are witnessing rapid growth and providing diverse opportunities.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman reiterated the Kingdom’s determination to develop its industrial sector, as it is one of the most important vital sectors in the Saudi economy, by diversifying the industrial base and value chains through the “National Strategy for Industry'', which focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the industrial economy and raise the industrial domestic product by around three times compared to the year 2020, reaching SR895 billion in 2030 to be a major contributor to the development of non-oil exports. This is in integration with the important role of the PIF as it is the investment arm that contributes and complements the efforts undertaken by the government in diversifying the economy, and the pivotal role of the National Development Fund and its affiliated funds in providing concessional financing to the private sector, he pointed out.

Speaking about the pivotal and leadership role of the Kingdom, the Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s role regionally and internationally, and its endeavor to ensure that the countries of the world enjoy security and stability, as they are the main factors for development and prosperity, and its keenness to develop and stabilize supply and value chains in a way that serves the development and economic prosperity of all countries of the world.

The Crown Prince stressed the Kingdom’s determination to continue the development momentum during the coming year and in the medium and long term with boosting the attractiveness of the Kingdom’s economy as a base for local and foreign investments besides diversifying the economy through the development of all economic sectors.

© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To drive development in renewable energy

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To lessen reliance on oil.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

A key element of this vision is NEOM, a planned megacity covering an area the size of Belgium, featuring high-tech projects like 'The Line'—originally designed as a 106-mile-long urban corridor.

Title:

Content: Yesterday's news that Saudi Arabia's megacity project 'The Line' has been scaled back is the latest sign that the kingdom's audacious state-building enterprise is not going according to plan.

The Line is one of 15 projects announced as part of Mohammed bin Salman's ambitious NEOM undertaking, which is part of the Crown Prince's overall 'Vision 2030' scheme to reshape his oil-dependant country's economy and image.

The linear metropolis was meant to be home to around 1.5 million residents by the end of the decade, with plans to ultimately increase its full capacity to nine million.

The 1,640-foot-tall structure was also meant to stretch across 106 miles of desert, but - according to people familiar to the matter, cited by Bloomberg - it will now only be one-and-a-half miles long (a 98 percent reduction in its planned length) and be home to just 300,000 people by 2030.

The report that it has been scaled back is just the latest sign that Bin Salman's megacity is stalling before even getting off the ground.

Analysts have long expressed scepticism over the project which has touted technology that is yet to be invented. One former worker once described The Line as being 'untethered to reality'.

Yesterday's news that Saudi Arabia 's megacity project 'The Line' has been scaled back was the latest sign that the kingdom's audacious NEOM state-building enterprise is not going according to plan. Pictured: The Line is seen in concept imagery released by Saudi Arabia

As part of the country's audacious and futuristic NEOM project, the linear metropolis was meant to be home to around 1.5 million residents by the end of the decade, with plans to ultimately increase its full capacity to nine million people. However, analysts have long expressed their scepticism - saying the plan features technology yet to even be invented

Pictured: Concept imagery shows an imagined sky garden looking out over the Saudi desert

A concept images shows an artist's rendering of what the interior of The Line would look like, between its two vast 106-mile long landscrapers

When it was first announced, The Line - slated to cost $1.5 trillion (£1.2tn) - was pitched as a new vision for urban design - with computer generated promotional material making it look like something out of a science fiction film.

NEOM as a whole remains one of the largest and most difficult construction projects in history, with the region set to cover a swathe of desert the size of Belgium.

Mohammed bin Salman - or MBS as he is known - sees NEOM as Saudi Arabia's showpiece to transform the country's economy and demonstrate futuristic technology that could transform the way people live their lives around the globe.

However, citing sources close to the project in its report about Saudi Arabia downscaling The Line, Bloomberg noted that the country has not yet approved NEOM's budget for 2024, despite now being well into April.

The publication also said that NEOM's vast expenditure is beginning to concern officials - suggesting Saudi Arabia's immense wealth isn't quite so endless after all.

What's more, some projects outlined in the Vision 2030 are already expected to be delayed past the end-of-the-decade deadline.

Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said in December that longer is needed to build 'factories' and 'sufficient human resources' for the project.

'The delay or rather the extension of some projects will serve the economy,' he said.

The feasibility of NEOM and The Line has also long been called into question.

Architect and urban planner Etienne Bou-Abdo said of concept images last year: 'the 3D images presented are not classical 3D architecture images', and the designers of the project 'have rather called upon video game designers'.

He stated that the plan includes 'a lot of technology that we don't have today'.

Concept images of The Line released by the kingdom in 2022 showed a vast, structure slicing through the desert near crystal blue ocean waters

The 1,640-foot-tall structure was meant to stretch across 106 miles of desert, but - according to people familiar to the matter, cited by Bloomberg - it will now only be one-and-a-half miles long, a 98 percent reduction in its planned length

A map shows where The Line was set to be built, and how long it would have been. Saudi officials said it would be built in stages, and would eventually cover a 106-mile stretch of desert along the coast of the Red Sea in the western Tabuk province

In a promotional video released by the Kingdom, it was suggested that nine million people could live in The Line (pictured in concept art) at full capacity

The Line's vast construction was set to extend from the heart of another planned Red Sea megacity, a plank of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's bid to diversify the Gulf state's oil-dependent economy - to the ocean

A number of The Line's key features, particularly those related to energy and transport, are based on technologies that do not even exist even in prototype form.

Since its inception, MBS's vision for the project has changed frequently - with workers finding themselves in the difficult position of having to manage the expectations of a man who is known to have imprisoned his own family.

'The concept has morphed so much from its early conception that it's sometimes hard to determine its direction: scaling down, scaling up, or making an aggressive turn sideways,' said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, following the presentation in 2022.

There has also been frequent staff turnover, with some former workers describing the vision for NEOM as being 'untethered from reality'.

According to a Bloomberg report in 2022, who interviewed 25 employees and saw 2,700 pages of internal documents, the project has been plagued by setbacks.

Attempts to relocate the indigenous population who have lived at the NEOM site for generations, were reported as being 'turbulent' - with one incident even descending into a gun battle.

Several key staff have quit, blaming a toxic work environment and a culture of massive overspending without seeing results.

They also described how the project had become a favourite for contractors - including architects and Hollywood production designers - all of whom are taking a cut of Saudi Arabia's oil riches.

'I was not alone in realising that it was spurious at best,' Andy Wirth, an American hospitality executive who worked on Neom, told Bloomberg for its 2022 report.

'The complete absence of being tethered to reality, objectively, is what was demonstrated there,' he added at the time.

In its report, the American publication wrote: 'The chaotic trajectory of Neom so far suggests that MBS's urban dream may never be delivered.'

Overall, 15 sites have been announced as part of the NEOM megacity.

With names like Xaynor, Zardun and Siranna - NEOM's destinations are often described in manicured promotional material as 'sanctuaries' or 'oases'.

Computer generated concept images and videos show gleaming structures rising out of the desert, with model-like actors looking on in wonder, or taking part in various activities such as jet skiing or mountain biking.

Salman is hoping to create a desert metropolis known as NEOM. Pictured: NEOM's 'Oxagon' - a futuristic port city - is seen in concept imagery

The Line was the first announced in 2017 - and officially in January 2021 - with MBS delivering a presentation - capturing the attention of both city planners, architects and the general public around the world.

The announcement of 'Oxagon' - a futuristic port city - followed in November.

Concept images of The Line released by the kingdom in 2022 showed a vast structure slicing through the desert near crystal blue ocean waters.

The megacity was to feature two parallel skyscrapers extending across a swathe of desert and mountain terrain, with mirrored facades on the outside.

Saudi officials said it would be built in stages, and would eventually cover a 106-mile stretch of desert along the coast in the western Tabuk province - with its Western tip pointing out over the Red Sea towards Egypt.

In its original design, if built in the UK, The Line would have been able to stretch between London to Birmingham, or even from London into France.

In US-terms, it was longer than the distance between New York and Philadelphia.

However, unlike city sprawls we are accustomed to today, the vast metropolis would have been contained in the two mirrored structures - each rising 500 meters above sea level, taller than the Empire State building.

At just 200 yards wide, The Line was intended to be Saudi Arabia's answer to unchecked and wasteful urban sprawl, layering homes, schools and parks on top of each other in what planners term 'Zero Gravity Urbanism'.

Promotional material says residents will have 'all daily needs' reachable within a five-minute walk, while also having access to other perks like outdoor skiing facilities and 'a high-speed rail with an end-to-end transit of 20 minutes'.

For a train to travel 106 miles in 20 minutes, it would need to be able to travel at 318 miles per hour - 16 miles per hour faster than the Beijing to Shanghai speed line, one of the fastest railway lines in the world.

In his presentation, Prince Mohammed sketched out an even more ambitious vision, describing a car-free utopia that would become the planet's most liveable city.

The site would be powered by 100 percent renewable energy and feature 'a year-round temperate micro-climate with natural ventilation', the promotional video said - something that would be a necessity considering temperatures in Saudi Arabia can range from 27 degrees to 43 degrees.

Other flourishes were proposed too, like flying taxis and robot maids, prompting architects and economists to question its feasibility further.

Officials had earlier said The Line's overall population would top one million, but Prince Mohammed said the number would actually hit 1.2million by 2030 (other reports have suggested 1.5 million) before climbing even further by 2045.

In a promotional video released by the Kingdom, it was suggested that nine million people could live in The Line at full capacity.

The eye-popping total is part of a hoped-for nationwide population boom that Prince Mohammed said would be necessary to make Saudi Arabia - the world's biggest crude exporter - an economic powerhouse.

The goal for 2030 is to have 50 million people - half Saudis and half foreigners - living in the kingdom, up from roughly 34 million today.

By 2040 the target is 100 million people, he said in 2022.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman announces 'The Line' to be built at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, January 10, 2021

'That's the main purpose of building NEOM, to raise the capacity of Saudi Arabia, get more citizens and more people in Saudi Arabia. And since we are doing it from nothing, why should we copy normal cities?' Prince Mohammed said at the time.

However, not everyone was convinced at the time.

Writing for the New York Times in 2021, US journalist and author Robert Worth wrote scathingly about the project.

'To watch [MBS's] promotional video is to be immersed in a distinctively Saudi form of arrogance, blending religious triumphalism and royal grandiosity,' he said.

Analysts have also noted that plans for NEOM have often changed course over the years, fuelling doubts about whether The Line would ever become reality.

It was once touted as a regional 'Silicon Valley', a biotech and digital hub spread over 10,000 square miles.

But it was also a vehicle for reimagining urban life on a footprint of just 34 square kilometres, and addressing what Prince Mohammed describes as 'liveability and environmental crises'.

With it being scaled back, it is now unclear whether The Line will still feature its twin skyscrapers seen in the concept images, or if the whole project will have to be reconsidered altogether.

Reports of the scale-back to The Line project coincided with more bad news for Saudi Arabia, after it was announced on Sunday that Saudi Aramco - the state-owned petroleum and natural gas company - saw a 24.7 percent decline in profits in 2023.

In a filing to the Saudi stock market, the oil giant said net income reached 454.7 billion Saudi riyals ($121.25 billion) in 2023 down from 604.01 billion Saudi riyals ($161.07 billion) it reported in 2022.

'The decrease mainly reflects the impact of lower crude oil prices and lower volumes sold, and weakening refining and chemicals margins,' Aramco said.

The huge trench can be seen stretching into the distance as foundations for the incredible megacity are dug out in footage from 2022

Construction workers stand on the edge of a vast trench being dug for The Line megacity

Pictured: Construction workers are seen operating excavators in drone footage captured in 2022 when The Line project began

While Saudi officials will have been left red-faced with the news that the project is being scaled back, it will certainly come as a relief to conservationists who raised the alarm over The Line's environmental impact.

Experts warned last year that the vast mirrored surface would be a 'death trap' for millions of birds migrating between Europe and Africa each year.

As Saudi Arabia touted the finished project's sustainability credentials, researchers identified the construction project itself as one of the 15 most pressing conservation issues to watch in 2024.

And experts have said in a study released in December that a combination of factors mean it poses a huge risk to birds that migrate over Saudi Arabia every year.

These include the mirrored facades, the city's orientation and the intention to have wind turbines along the top of it.

'Birds flying into tall windows is a serious problem, and this is a building that is 500m high going across Saudi Arabia, with windmills on top,' Professor William Sutherland, director of research in Cambridge University's zoology department, told The Times .

'It's also kind of like a mirror so you don't really see it,' Sutherland, who led the study, added. 'So unless they do something about it, there's a serious risk that there could be lots of damage to migratory birds.'

Nightingales, wheatears, larks, sandgrouse and turtle doves are all species of bird that use the migratory route which could be affected.

Other species known to travel that way include the Egyptian vulture and saker falcon, both of which are endangered globally, The Times reported.

Treyam - another NEOM project announced last month - is an 'elevated haven' - a luxury resort, stretching over a desert lagoon, with a nearly half a kilometre long swimming pool on its roof

Looking like something from the future, the complex will stretch across a desert lagoon

NEOM is roughly the size of Belgium and situated on the west coast of Saudi Arabia

The publication said the area The Line is set to occupy is already a bottleneck for an estimated 2.1million birds that travel between Europe and Africa every autumn.

It noted that every year, 988 million birds are killed in collisions with buildings in the US alone, with the risk found to be higher in areas with glass or mirrored buildings.

The news of the scale-back comes just weeks after Saudi Arabia announced its latest wildly ambitious NEOM project: The world's longest sky pool built on the roof of a 250-room resort.

Treyam - announced in March with more computer generated concept images - is being billed as an 'elevated haven' - a luxury complex, stretching over a desert lagoon, with a nearly half-kilometre-long swimming pool on its roof.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

It was announced that 'The Line' has now been scaled back to just one-and-a-half miles, a 98% reduction, due to practical and economic considerations.

Analysts have long doubted the feasibility of such vast, futuristic projects, some of which advertise technology yet to be invented.

Saudi officials maintain NEOM will be built in phases, with 15 separate sites announced, including Oxagon, a futuristic port city, and Treyam, a luxury resort with a record-length rooftop pool.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

At full capacity, promotional materials suggest The Line could house up to nine million residents and aims to boost Saudi Arabia’s population and economic capacity.

The project’s initial facilities, like its first hotel and cultural asset, are set to open in 2024, and the larger goals include securing global supply chains and exporting high-tech products.

Title:

Content: (Bloomberg) -- Top officials from Saudi Arabia’s mega projects gathered in Riyadh to share progress updates and seek partners to help deliver a key pillar of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to transform the economy.

Executives from The Line, New Murabba and Diriyah Company — complex developments ranging from a futuristic mega city on the Red Sea to an urban development housing a cube-shaped skyscraper set to be the tallest in the Saudi capital — discussed challenges with supply chains, costs and finding skilled workers as they underscored the urgent need for experienced partners to assist in completing projects.

Many touted construction achievements, some that had not yet been shared widely with the public, but made clear they would have to overcome major obstacles if they are to meet deadlines set under the crown prince’s Vision 2030 agenda.

“I think our biggest problem with these projects is time,” said Oussama Kabbani, group chief development offer for Roshn Real Estate Co., one of Saudi Arabia’s largest residential developers that’s backed by the sovereign wealth fund. “Make no mistake we made commitments to His Royal Highness that we will be a showcase of the 2030 Vision. The challenge now is how much we can achieve from our promise.”

Representatives from developments worth $880 billion gathered at Monday’s event, which was hosted by the Middle East business intelligence source known as MEED. They presented to potential investors and contractors at a time when the kingdom is struggling to lure foreign direct investment and has delayed or accelerated some projects based on funding needs and other considerations.

Read More: Neom Hosts Show-and-Tell for Bankers as It Scours for More Cash

The so-called giga projects are playing a pivotal role in Prince Mohammed’s efforts to turn the kingdom into a hub for everything from entertainment to tourism and manufacturing, while easing a dependence on revenue from crude oil.

‘Close The Gap’

More contractors and consultants are seen as the key to ensuring the work goes ahead smoothly, according to comments made repeatedly at the event. There was also a heavy focus on ironing out supply-chain challenges as rising costs for building materials eat into project budgets.

“We are seeing companies coming to Saudi Arabia almost every day – consultants, contractors – from along the supply chain,” said Mohamed Saad, President of Diriyah Company. “I’m hoping that the market will supply what we need and close the gap as much as possible.”

Diriyah has handed out about $14 billion in contracts so far and aims to award as much as $9.3 billion more this year. It also plans to open its first hotel and cultural asset in 2024, Saad said in an interview.

In further signs of plans being adjusted, Saad said Diriyah Square — a key part of the historical Diriyah development — was recently re-launched after conducting more studies on design and customer needs. It’s expected to open in 2027, versus an earlier target for 2024.

Executives from Neom, Red Sea Global Co. and Qiddiya Investment Company also presented to British business delegates at a UK-Saudi summit on Tuesday aimed at deepening investment and trade between the countries.

Qiddiya, an entertainment hub being built in the capital city of Riyadh, said it plans to open its first two theme parks — Six Flags Qiddiya City and Aquarabia — in 2025.

Read More: ‘Dragon Ball’ Goes to the Desert With Saudi Arabian Theme Park

(Updates with Qiddiya comments)

©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

Vision 2030 is also focused on social reforms, such as increasing women’s participation in the workforce, which has risen by 17.4% over five years, with women now making up more than a third of the workforce.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: kingdom's women celebrate drive towards equal opportunity

Female executives cite "progressive leadership" for their achievements

Beta V.1.0 - Powered by automated translation

As they prepare for the 92nd Saudi National Day on Friday, Saudi women are celebrating the nation's progress and their rise to leadership positions across different sectors.

Saudi women have always coveted more visible and pertinent roles in society, and the kingdom's Vision 2030 is the catalyst that has made them possible.

Saudi Arabia had developed a diversified economy thanks to its “progressive leadership”, Dr Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer at the kingdom's $500 billion city of the future Neom, told The National.

“We are proud of the incredible accomplishments that have ignited the pride of our people all over the kingdom and we continue to strive for greatness,” she says.

“Neom will continue to be a powerful enabler” of the Saudi Vision 2030, she said.

Dr Manar believes Saudi Arabia is committed to women’s empowerment and has enabled women to obtain the “highest levels” of education and encouraged them to participate in various aspects of “economic, political, and social life”.

“As part of Vision 2030, I am grateful for the major reforms and the continuation of the leadership’s efforts to empower women to occupy leadership positions in various sectors.”

She said Neom’s approach is no different, “we are committed” to creating a working environment that supports, develops, and promotes equality and diversity”.

Vision 2030 aims to boost female participation in the workforce to 30 per cent by 2030.

Saudi women make up more than a third of the country's workforce, statistics released in March this year by the General Authority for Statistics show, a 17.4 per cent increase from five years ago.

Also, the female unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in 20 years in the first quarter of 2022.

Many female leaders attribute this achievement to the kingdom's ambitious programme to completely reshape its economy into one that is self-sufficient, progressive and diversified.

Saudi women have always demonstrated resolve and “Vision 2030 catalysed this determination into action”, said Dr May Taibah, board member and corporate financial controller at the Community Jameel Saudi Foundation.

She has been working in social enterprise for more than a decade, most recently with Bab Rizq Jameel Services and Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts.

Vision 2030 caters to the diverse needs of Saudi Arabia’s citizens, as it enables every member of society, “especially women,” to be veritable contributors to the country’s socio-economic growth, she said.

“This gives me a front-row seat to witness first-hand the impact of collaboration between the public, private, and governmental sectors in fuelling human capability,” she told The National. “It is truly inspirational what can be achieved through the right support framework.”

In the first quarter of 2022, the percentage of women in middle management and senior positions rose from 28.6 per cent compared with 39 per cent in first quarter of 2017, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development said.

However, the exponential value added by the growth of the female workforce in the kingdom was not limited to statistics and numbers, said Deema Al Bashrawi, Head of Operations at Tanmiah, a manufacturer and distributor of food and agricultural products.

She attributed her professional success to a culmination of factors including the strength of the kingdom’s educational framework, which enabled her to earn a degree in economics, and the support of her family.

She added that “Tanmiah continues to support my sustained growth” since she joined in 2012 as a manager.

“Today, I look forward to continuing to serve my country, customers, partners, and investors as we continue to support the achievement of Saudi Arabia’s goals towards improving food security, reducing waste, and achieving self-sufficiency,” Ms Al Bashrawi said.

Dr Taibah believes that an entrepreneurial mindset is vital to prosperity and extends beyond entrepreneurship.

“The value extends beyond that, to the personal stories of lives, businesses and industries transformed through supportive socio-economic empowerment across the entire framework,” she told The National.

The World Bank’s Women, Business and Law report for 2020 and 2021 found that Saudi Arabia was among the top countries when it came to implementing reforms and rights related to women.

“Vision 2030 was developed to extend equal support, whether a person is a craft worker, start-up CEO or employee,” Dr Tabiah said.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development introduced policies that promote inclusivity, and diversity in the labour market.

These were “to enhance the positive image of women in the workplace, and to create a supportive and inclusive environment to facilitate women’s entry into the labour market”, a ministry representative said earlier this year.

“Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been a champion for women's progress and has helped empower women in the labour market by giving us ease of running businesses and authority which does not require a man,” said Ghalia Abdul, who runs a retail store in Jeddah.

Women's right to drive, travel and run their own businesses had helped her to hire more female workers in the last four years, Ms Abdul said.

The Arab Institute for Women’s Empowerment has said that investing in targeted training for Saudi women would have a return on investment of $400 billion by 2030.

“Most young Saudis have an entrepreneurial spirit and the new changes have helped people like me not just run my own business, but also contribute to the economy and create jobs for women,” Ms Abdul added.

Updated: September 22, 2022, 5:15 AM
EDITOR'S PICKS
NEWSLETTERS
MORE FROM THE NATIONAL

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

gender equality
Strengthened women's rights

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

These reforms aim to create a more inclusive and prosperous society, encouraging women into leadership roles and providing tens of thousands of high-quality jobs.

Title:

Content: Saudi National Day: Kingdom's women and young people shaping the future

UN official Jood Alharthi tells The National that young people in the kingdom are becoming 'change-makers'

Powered by automated translation

Saudi women are taking charge of representing the kingdom across different sectors and positions regionally and globally, some of its most well-known women told The National.

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, champions women empowerment, which is a key component of reforms in the kingdom.

Jood Al Harthi, the first woman to be appointed as political affairs officer at the Executive Office of the Secretary General of the UN in New York, spoke to The National ahead of Saudi National Day on Saturday.

She said “today more than ever”, the kingdom is making an impact in the space of international co-operation, development, multilateralism and diplomacy.

She said the King Salman Relief Centre had “unarguably expanded” its global reach and scale, with its top projects the previous year focusing on emergency relief co-ordination, food security and early recovery.

“It’s worthy to note that more and more young Saudis have rushed to become volunteers and change-makers for such causes,” she said.

The empowerment of women and youth engagement are top priorities within the kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative.

It is through such initiatives that the kingdom can create a platform for the next generation of Saudi women to “thrive”, said Princess Reema bint Bandar, the kingdom's ambassador to the US.

“We can contribute to break down the barriers in the biases that hold women back and we can foster a world where the next generation of women can thrive,” she said.

“And when we do that, we’ll not only create a more equal and inclusive society but also a more prosperous one. We need more women in leadership roles paving the way.”

Princess Reema, who was appointed ambassador to the US by the Saudi Crown Prince in 2019, said the kingdom needs more female business leaders to reach its potential.

“We need more women in middle management positions continuing the work,” she said.

“We need more women business owners, more mentorship programmes focused on female success, and more people investing in women-led start-ups.”

In 2023, Saudi Arabia sent its first Saudi female astronaut, Rayyanah Barnawi, to the International Space Station.

And Saudi women are rising to top positions across the world, from astrophysics, politics, technology and other industries.

The kingdom has hosted high-level summits over the past year, including the Arab League Summit.

It has allowed the kingdom to further empower its women to take leading roles in its international vision, Ms Alharthi said.

“We’ve seen an increase of women ambassadors, youth representatives and recruitment,” she said.

“As the kingdom marks its National Day, we must recall the huge contributions that make headlines, but most importantly, let us also celebrate the unheard successes and the many transformative plans and dreams in progress.”

She said Saudi Arabia continues to support the voices of the Muslim community globally, and speak against cases of Islamophobia and hate speech to boost peaceful coexistence.

Updated: September 23, 2023, 3:00 AM

How has Vision 2030 affected women's rights and workforce participation?

gender equality
Strengthened women's rights

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

The government has also implemented structural reforms in financial and economic sectors and plans to attract investments of SR1.3 trillion and multiply advanced technology exports by six times.

Title:

Content: JEDDAH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman launched on Tuesday the National Strategy for Industry to realize the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The strategy focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the Kingdom’s industrial economy while identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth SR1 trillion.

“Through this strategy and in partnership with the private sector, Saudi Arabia will become a leading industrial power that contributes to securing global supply chains, and exporting high-tech products to the world,” the Crown Prince, who is also chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, said while unveiling the new strategy.

“We have all the possibilities to reach a competitive and sustainable industrial economy, thanks to the ambitious young talents; distinguished geographical location; rich natural resources, and leading national industrial companies,” he said.

The strategy aims to accomplish an industrial economy that attracts investments, which contributes to achieving economic diversification, and developing the domestic product and non-oil exports, in line with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

The National Strategy for Industry focuses on 12 sub-sectors to diversify the Kingdom’s industrial economy while identifying more than 800 investment opportunities worth SR1 trillion to constitute a new chapter of sustainable growth for the sector in order to achieve ambitious economic returns for the Kingdom by 2030. These returns include doubling the industrial domestic product by three times and doubling the value of industrial exports to reach SR557 billion.

The strategy is also working to bring the total value of additional investments in the sector to SR1.3 trillion, and to increase exports of advanced technology products by about six times, in addition to creating tens of thousands of quality jobs of high value.

The industrial sector is one of the pillars of Saudi Vision 2030, and it receives great attention from wise leadership. The National Industrial Development and Logistics Program was launched and an independent ministry was established to take care of the sector. In addition to this, a number of programs were introduced and several entities were established.

All these have resulted in doubling the number of industrial establishments, which did not exceed 7,206 factories within 42 years. Their number jumped by more than 50 percent after the launch of Vision 2030, reaching 10,640 industrial facilities in 2022. The strategy will drive growth in the sector, bringing the number of factories to about 36,000 factories by 2035.

Through the strategy, Saudi Arabia aspires to empower the private sector, as well as to increase the flexibility and competitiveness of the industrial sector, which guarantees continuity of access to important commodities for the welfare of citizens and achieve global leadership in a group of selected commodities, by investing in promising new technologies.

To achieve these ambitious national goals, a governance model for the industrial sector was developed through the formation of the Supreme Committee for Industry, headed by the Crown Prince, to supervise the development of the sector, in addition to the formation of the Industrial Council with the participation of the private sector in order to ensure the participation of industrial investors in decision-making and policy development.

The Kingdom’s industrial sector is based on solid industrial foundations and successes built over 50 years, as it contributed to adding more than SR340 billion to the gross domestic product, and provided many quality jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities in various industrial fields.

The Kingdom also enjoys the presence of leading national industrial companies, which have contributed to placing the Saudi industry in the ranks of advanced industries regionally and globally, as the Kingdom is today the fourth largest manufacturer of petrochemical products in the world, while its industrial outputs contribute to supplying global supply and manufacturing chains, which are involved in the production of many of industries.

The launch of the strategy is in line with global trends in the sector, such as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the Kingdom’s objectives and the competitive advantages represented by its geographical location, an abundance of natural resources and energy sources, human capabilities, purchasing power, and stable monetary policies, it was pointed out.

© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

How has Saudi Arabia diversified its economy under Vision 2030?

To drive development in  financial services

What are some of the key goals of Vision 2030 for society and economy?

What are the main goals of the 2016- launched Vision 2030?

To diversify Saudi Arabia's economy
To attract foreign investment

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

MBS has worked to curtail the influence of the Wahhabi religious establishment by restricting the powers of the religious police, further signaling social change.

How has the role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice changed under Muhammad bin Salman?

Has been reduced to morality awareness campaigns and COVID-19 efforts.

No longer acts as the de facto religious police.

What has MBS done since becoming Crown Prince in Saudi Arabia?

What is one of the first priorities of Vision 2030 regarding ideological extremism?

Combating extremist and ideological thinking


She fled from Kiev to Italy in March 2022, bringing three children, her mother and a number of dogs.

Each of these activities is a step toward the future we want to see become a reality.

We are all part of a global network.

See all of our updates on the network in Ukraine.

Supporting small-scale farmers and producers who prioritize regenerative practices is crucial to beginning to create this more sustainable food system.

Food is an essential part of our lives, but the way we produce and consume it has enormous impacts on not only our individual health – but the health and longevity of our planet.

Fast forward to the 20th century.

Both were builders in the US.

And then the highlight – a dhow sail at sunset to watch the red sun sink into the ocean, and the following day, a long stroll and swim on Shela beach before checking in for the flight to Nairobi.

Watch out for the whale shark safari where you may have the opportunity to swim with the shark.

In tribal farms, community gardens and home gardening, the Indigenous food sovereignty movement which aims to make Native communities self-sufficient through the cultivation of healthy foods.

That spark thrives at the Onondaga Nation Farm, a hub of community activity.

They preserve meat and vegetables, enough to feed every tribal citizen for four years.

Through classes, seed banks and plantings, tribes across the United States are reclaiming their agricultural roots, growing healthy foods and aiming for self-sufficiency.

“I feel like I have something to give back,” he said.

The cool food movement in Napa shows we can all do our part.

Make your own meals.

These nutrition trends will make a big difference for your health next year.

Some of these trends come and go, but there are a few that nutrition experts say are here to stay in the New Year.

Focus on family dinners.

Meal kits have been around for a while now, but new, niche food box services are popping up for nearly every kind of food.

The ECI could come as a powerful support for this.

Title:

Content: A View from Ukraine: Only with Solidarity Can We Safeguard Biodiversity and Lay the Foundations for the Future

Whatever their nature, crises have much to teach us. One of their fundamental lessons is this: Together we are stronger.

This belief underpins the Slow Food network. Wars, pandemics and natural disasters only highlight our awareness that we are one big community with a specific duty, to help each other and protect our Mother Earth.

The solidarity that we have seen in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion exactly one year ago offers a strong and concrete example of this. More than 400 donors from over 27 countries have donated over €47,000, pledging to support not only the safety of those who have fled their home country but also those who have chosen to stay and look after their animals, crops and villages, protecting the wealth of local biodiversity currently under existential threat.

Slow Food has seen evidence of the network’s solidarity from around the world. Polish, Romanian and Bulgarian Slow Food communities are hosting refugees; Slow Food Australia has collected humanitarian aid and sent it to the borders; Slow Food Prague has run workshops to showcase Ukrainian cuisine; and in France and Italy Slow Food has organized fundraisers in aid of Ukrainian producers.

So far over 60 communities have been helped by this communal solidarity in various ways, with a focus on assisting those affected by the conflict to carry on with their daily lives and save local biodiversity. At a time of war, safeguarding biodiversity might not seem a priority. But in fact it represents a vital foundation for a future recovery.

“War is total destruction,” said Andrea Pieroni, professor of Ethnobotany and Ethnobiology at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, speaking to us last summer. “It also puts at risk the entire biodiversity of a country, and consequently an entire traditional gastronomic heritage. The environmental consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war are manifold, and the effects fall (and will fall) as much on the present as on the future of each of us. But if a war can do damage, even more damage—and this time irreversible—can be done by reconstruction, if it does not respect the traditions and cultures that existed before, seeking instead to globalize and perhaps respond to global needs rather than local ones. The Slow Food network can play a key role in supporting Ukrainians to hold on to traditions, such as those of family production and farmers’ markets.”

The activities that Slow Food has been supporting in recent months include safeguarding traditional animal breeds by purchasing forage, providing medical assistance, distributing hatching eggs of local-breed chickens, providing farmers with seeds and plants of local varieties and helping to preserve local seed collections. The Slow Food network has also helped to purchase basic equipment, such as cultivators, fridges and wheelbarrows, for communities that have either been decimated or are hosting refugees. It has helped to fix a ruined school and buy containers for the meals being prepared by Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance cooks to distribute to the needy. For Christmas the network organized the delivery of food straight from farms to over 30 families where children were staying with their grandparents, so they could have good, wholesome food for the holidays.

“The money that we have received from Slow Food is vital, both to deliver humanitarian aid to people in need, and to preserve these native Carpathian bees and their ecosystem,” explained beekeeper Vitali Pavlu. “It’s all part of a spiritual and moral outlook that we promote: to do things not because they are profitable, but because they are good. So we take with one hand and give back with the other, to create harmony.”

While some have donated financially, others have chosen to donate their time and work. Just one example out of many: Dutch Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance member Jeroen van Nijnatten and his partner Marike Reinhard. Normally working as a caterer, Jeroen is well equipped to cook on location. About a month ago he and Marike packed their van full of cooking gear and ingredients and set off for the city of Lviv.

Their action was supported by the Ukrainian Education Platform and Kerk In Actie, a Dutch collective of Protestant churches. Since then, they have served about 1,400 pancakes in and around Lviv. Moving their mobile kitchen from orphanage to shelter to football stadium, everywhere the displaced happily queued up for a plate of warm Dutch pancakes. Marike has also been running yoga sessions for children in local orphanages. Says Jeroen: “The people we cooked for—mainly women and children of course—were very happy. The best part of these weeks was to see that they really felt supported.” Jeroen and Marike have recently returned to the Netherlands, but plans for a second trip are already being made.

Solidarity has also been on show in the places where Ukrainian refugees have arrived. Kateryna Prykhodko is a goat’s cheese producer and veterinarian who attended Cheese 2019. She fled from Kiev to Italy in March 2022, bringing three children, her mother and a number of dogs. In Ukraine, she had a farm called Dragonfly, located on the outskirts of the capital. Now everything is destroyed. But thanks to the hospitality of Eros Scarafoni and his family at the Fontegranne farm in the countryside near Fermo, in the Marche, Kateryna has found not just a safe haven but also the opportunity to continue her work as a cheesemaker, teaching the locals the secrets of her blue goat’s cheese. Local and regional Slow Food coordinators are working closely with her to promote her Italo-Ukrainian cheeses, organizing a series of meetings and events to give Kateryna a hand so that her Dragonfly can “fly” again.

“We are infinitely grateful to each of you, each community, each national association and the international headquarters,” said Slow Food’s coordinator in Ukraine, Yuliia Pitenko. “We are grateful to the whole extended Slow Food family for the quick and very effective assistance. We have been able to help those who are in the occupied territories, those who are near the front, those who are in Kyiv and those who received displaced people in western Ukraine, without bureaucratic obstacles. We understand that this is solidarity, real solidarity. We understand what heart-to-heart help means, and even now, when we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, we still want to invite you to Ukraine, let it be in a year, when we will have restored our country and saved our local animal breeds, seeds and gastronomic dishes.”

Each of these activities is a step toward the future we want to see become a reality. We are all part of a global network. And while safeguarding biodiversity, educating others and advocating for policy change in your corner of the world is paramount, progress begins with the exchange of stories, knowledge and projects across the globe and is built on the relationships we forge with one another. Only together can we cultivate a better future. Wherever we are, we are not alone.

See all of our updates on the network in Ukraine

  • Did you learn something new from this page?
  • yesno

We are all part of a global network.

How many countries have members of Slow Food organization?

See all of our updates on the network in Ukraine.

Supporting small-scale farmers and producers who prioritize regenerative practices is crucial to beginning to create this more sustainable food system.

Title:

Content: Philippine agriculture

[OPINION] The future of food: Regenerative farming is the key to securing our food future

Louise Mabulo
'Supporting small-scale farmers and producers who prioritize regenerative practices is crucial to beginning to create this more sustainable food system'

Food is an essential part of our lives, but the way we produce and consume it has enormous impacts on not only our individual health – but the health and longevity of our planet.

Unfortunately, the food industry’s large-scale pursuit of fast, easy, and cheap food has come at the massive expense of our environment, and it is responsible for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and pollution.

In the Philippines – where 40% of the population relies on agriculture, and a sector that contributes 20% of the country’s GDP – many people are faced with challenges like food security, sustainability, and environmental problems. Additionally, small-scale farmers face challenges accessing markets and obtaining fair prices for their products, further perpetuating poverty and food insecurity.

The good news is that we’re not too late to do something about it, and through a combined effort, we have the power to reverse this situation.

As Earth Day 2023 draws near, it’s the perfect time to contemplate the future of our food industry, and begin the transition towards regenerative food systems that close supply chains and promote sustainable practices.

Food security comes full circle

While sustainability is about slowing deterioration, regenerative food practices go even further to future-proof what later generations will inherit of our food systems. In short, regenerative agriculture is a focus on soil health and biodiversity, which uses cover crops, crop rotation, and natural fertilizers to improve soil quality, sequester carbon, and increase yields.

If you’re not sure why this is important, think of it like this: the soil acts like the skin of our planet. It’s a barrier and an important layer that holds nutrients and water, as well as key organisms and organic matter. Without it being healthy, we simply cannot grow quality food. And with food demand set to rise by as much as 50% by 2050, and one-third of our soil estimated to be degraded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), this is a big problem.

But transitioning towards regenerative food systems requires a mindset shift away from the linear “take-make-waste” model associated with conventional farming practices, and towards a more circular one that closes supply chains. This means reducing waste, reusing resources, and recycling materials – but it also means connecting producers and consumers to create more localized food systems that are resilient to shocks and disruptions.

This is, of course, easier said than done when it comes to the dominance of large agribusinesses and the industrial food system. And this is why supporting small-scale farmers and producers who prioritize regenerative practices is crucial to beginning to create this more sustainable food system.

In 2016, I started actively engaging our farmers in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Nock-Ten, and as a result, I founded The Cacao Project, a social enterprise that promotes sustainable farming practices, supports, and empowers local farmers and communities in the Philippines. By providing training to farmers to improve their yields and income, the project promotes sustainable and high-in-demand crops, including cacao seedlings and short-term crops such as bok choy, okra, pumpkins, and more. We also utilize unused or otherwise barren lands to create productive economic forests and livelihoods for local and indigenous farmers. Our project ensures that farmers receive fair pay and are better positioned for sustainable success.

Additionally, we are continuously exploring ways to reduce waste and maximize our crop utilization. One of our recent innovations is using leaf fossilization to create stunning crafts and accessories, which upcycles waste while generating a secondary source of income for farming communities.

At the end of the day, I want to bring people closer to our food systems and cultivate an understanding of where our food comes from, how it is produced, and how it reaches our tables. It is a privilege for me to be featured in National Geographic’s Earth Day shortform Nat Geo Presents that will be premiering in the month of April where I can shed light on sustainable food systems and diets to a wide audience, creating a collective sense of responsibility and respect for the resources that sustain us.

The benefits of regenerative food systems extend beyond environmental sustainability – not only does it provide a host of natural services (such as acting as wind breakers and food shelters), it can create self-sufficient, healthier, and resilient communities.

As we approach Earth Day 2023, let’s take a moment to reflect on the impact of our food choices on the environment, and maybe make small changes to live more sustainably. Whether it be buying produce from local markets, supporting small-scale farmers who prioritize regenerative practices, reducing waste, and recycling. Let’s think before we shop and choose to live more lightly on the planet for the benefit of ourselves and future generations. – Rappler.com

Louise Mabulo is a National Geographic Explorer, chef, and founder of The Cacao Project.

What is the purpose of Taiwan's Taitung County Government ito hold the "SLOW SUPER Taitung Slow Farmer Market"?

To promote sustainable agricultural development

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

Fast forward to the 20th century.

Title:

Content: Why this is the right time to explore Lamu

What you need to know:

Watch out for the whale shark safari where you may have the opportunity to swim with the sharks

The tide is high in the late afternoon. The dark blue of the Indian Ocean reveals the lush green canopy of the mangroves fringing the island as we land on Manda Island and catch a boat across the channel to Lamu Island. This is the home of Lamu Stone Town which is the oldest Swahili settlement permanently lived on since the 14th century and listed as a World Heritage Site.

A short stroll from the pier, we’re at the door of the 16th-century Amu House that once belonged to a noble Swahili family as were the houses along the narrow lane.

Fast forward to the 20th century. Mary Stone and her partner Hussein Ahmed met in the U.S. and arrived on the sunny isle in 1985. Both were builders in the US. They found the now run-down house, bought it and after two years of renovating it to its former glory, opened Amu House – the original name of Lamu – as the town’s first guest house in 1987.

Walking through the house with Stone, it’s interesting listening to how they carefully stripped layers of paint on the walls to reveal the vidakaor decorative etchings, the nyota (star) and the casa (turtle) and cleaned up the galleries that are the length of mangrove poles. The first gallery from the courtyard was for the men, and the inner ones were for the women.

The following day, a short sail away from Stone Town, I’m at the Flipflopi boatyard to see the work of the year-old Heritage Boat Building Center where Flipflopi Ndogo the world’s first dhow made from 100% recycled plastic trash was constructed. Flipflopi Ndogo then sailed to Zanzibar and later circumvented Africa’s largest freshwater lake, Victoria, with one clear message: We’re dumping the earth and her waters with too much plastic waste. It’s time to stop.

It’s exciting meeting the students, many of whom are women dressed conservatively in the buibui, now learning the skills of boat and furniture building from recycled plastic waste collected from the beach.

The following day, it’s a leisurely stroll through the main commercial street where the famed wooden carved doors of the East African coast open to the centuries-old coral buildings with the ground floor turned into art galleries and fashion shops. The tourists are back in town after the Covid-19 hiatus.

A stop at The Fish gallery belonging to Isaiah Chepyator, the tall gentle Tugen now very much at home in Lamu, is full of his signature sculpted fish from recycled wood and plastic with his new collection of life-size crocodiles on display.

It’s midday and I hurry for lunch brushing past the donkeys laden with panniers of supplies to fill the shops or coral stones for construction. Passing by Mwana Kupona’s mansion, Lamu’s famed 19th-century poetess, I’m at Subira House behind the walls of the 19th-century Lamu Fort to lunch at the Karkadeh Restaurant – Swahili for red hibiscus that grows wild on Subira’s shamba. The flower is nutritious and helps reduce blood pressure. I’m here for a special meal of freshly prepared vegetable soup, grilled white snapper accompanied by many salads and sauces and finally a mouth-watering cashew-nut ice cream made with milk from the neighbours’ cow and cashew nuts from the farm.

Everything is cooked according to the principles of slow food cooking, a movement that’s been growing since the 1980s. “Slow food cooking is about being fair to the earth and people, eating food not treated or grown with chemicals and pesticides and finally, it must be tasty,” quips Kiki Aarts of Subira.

And then the highlight – a dhow sail at sunset to watch the red sun sink into the ocean, and the following day, a long stroll and swim on Shela beach before checking in for the flight to Nairobi.

Lamu Lore

Amu House is super-affordable and in the heart of Lamu Stone Town. It’s a bed & breakfast outlet. Indulge in the seafront restaurants like the Seafront Restaurant serving hearty seafood or try the street-food like mushkaki, kebabs and more.

Amu House started the Island Children Fund in the 1980s, putting hundreds of island children from disadvantaged backgrounds through primary school.

Safarilink flies daily to Lamu making a quick escape to the island possible

NOW ON: The whale shark season is on and now in Lamu waters. The largest fish on earth reaching more than 60 feet in length is a gentle slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark. Watch out for the whale shark safari where you may have the opportunity to swim with the shark. Rest assured, it doesn’t bite.

For dhow cruises or excursions, Amu House will arrange them.

Visit the Lamu Museum, Lamu House Museum and the German Museum – all easily walkable from Amu House.

www.rupitheafricantrotter.com

Welcome!

You're all set to enjoy unlimited Prime content.

Both were builders in the US.

In tribal farms, community gardens and home gardening, the Indigenous food sovereignty movement which aims to make Native communities self-sufficient through the cultivation of healthy foods.

Title:

Content: On remote farms and in city gardens, a native American movement grows

In tribal farms, community gardens and home gardening, the Indigenous food sovereignty movement which aims to make Native communities self-sufficient through the cultivation of healthy foods

By Kevin Noble Maillard
Published: Aug 29, 2022

Angela Ferguson, supervisor of the Onondaga Nation Farm and a leader in the Indigenous food sovereignty movement, in South Onondaga, N.Y, on Aug 21, 2022. Through classes, seed banks and plantings, tribes across the United States are reclaiming their agricultural roots, growing healthy foods and aiming for self-sufficiency. Image: Tahila Mintz/The New York Times

SOUTH ONONDAGA, N.Y. — The solstice sun lingered overhead as Angela Ferguson surveyed the green hills of the Onondaga Nation in central New York.

“The ancestors know that we’re here and I think that’s what makes us all feel good,” she said. “They’re thanking us for utilizing this land for the purpose it was intended, which was to feed the people.”

Ferguson, 52, is the supervisor of the Onondaga Nation Farm, a 163-acre plot of tribally reclaimed land 20 miles south of Syracuse, New York. She is a leader in the Indigenous food sovereignty movement, which aims to make Native communities self-sufficient through the cultivation of healthy foods.

In tribal farms, community gardens and home gardening, the movement celebrates the agrarian traditions of planting, harvesting and eating as vibrant assertions of Native identity and community.

This coupling of foodways and identity begins with a fundamental relationship to land. “You have to have a connection with the place where you are growing,” Ferguson said. “You have to have your feet in the dirt to pick up that ancestral energy.”

That spark thrives at the Onondaga Nation Farm, a hub of community activity. Ferguson and her crew grow corn, beans and squash, known as the “three sisters” of Indigenous agriculture. They keep bees, chickens and buffaloes, and forage wild nuts, berries and onions. They sponsor a free weekly farmers market on the Nation, and offer programs to teach traditional ways of cultivation and cooking. They preserve meat and vegetables, enough to feed every tribal citizen for four years.

But the signature feature of this agricultural haven is its immense seed bank. Behind secured doors, Ferguson has amassed more than 4,000 varieties of corn, a crop central to many Indigenous diets. The seeds — kernels of corn — are exchanged through an active intertribal network of Native farmers known as Braiding the Sacred.

The room, which she jokingly calls a “field of dreams,” is tranquil, cool, sanctuarylike. In glass jars neatly stacked on wooden shelves, the seed archive is a who’s who of Indigenous agricultural endurance: varieties like Osage Red, Tecumseh’s Flint, Cherokee Rainbow Glass Gem and Haudenosaunee Strawberry Popcorn.

Some seeds have been found and returned to their tribal homes after being lost for generations. Some are thousands of years old, or the sole remnants of defunct tribes. In the seed bank, those cultures live on.

“This room is very powerful,” Ferguson said. “It is the epitome of food sovereignty.”

Self-reliance is a guiding tenet for children at the independent Akwesasne Freedom School, on the Akwesasne reservation in northern New York state at the Quebec border. In an intensive immersion curriculum designed to reverse the effects of assimilation, community members teach lessons in traditional planting, harvesting and cooking, using only the tongue of their ancestors.

“We need to be able to feed ourselves and not depend on the outside to do that for us,” said Alvera Sargent, the executive director of the Friends of the Akwesasne School. “If we can grow our own food, we have sovereignty.”

But most Native Americans live in cities, away from tribal lands, as a result of termination policies, federal relocation programs or voluntary migration. So community groups in places like Salt Lake City, Minneapolis and Chicago have created spaces for gathering and planting traditional foods.

Native Health, a Phoenix nonprofit that offers holistic health care, maintains a traditional garden in the city center in collaboration with Keep Phoenix Beautiful. Using traditional, drought-resistant planting techniques suitable for arid climates — like Zuni waffle beds and Pima flood irrigation — the gardeners have efficiently managed a water supply for corn, wolfberries, gourds and sunflowers, along with Diné blue corn, Apache giant squash and Tohono O’odham melons.

As those names suggest, the gardens are a place where people of various tribes can connect with the land.

“Phoenix is a melting pot of different tribes, and we all have that commonality of food,” said Amanda Whitesinger, the Indigenous wellness manager at Native Health, who is Diné, or Navajo. “Having the garden helps us reclaim ourselves as Indigenous people and say, ‘This is tribal land, and we’re growing foods that kept our ancestors healthy.’ ”

A storage room at the Onondaga Nation Farm, holding thousands of seed varieties and preserved foods, enough to feed every tribal citizen for four years, in South Onondaga, N.Y, on Aug 21, 2022. Through classes, seed banks and plantings, tribes across the United States are reclaiming their agricultural roots, growing healthy foods and aiming for self-sufficiency. Image: Tahila Mintz/The New York Times

Urban community gardens also help restore links to land and community that were disrupted by government policies and programs. Perhaps the most devastating of those practices were federal boarding schools, which removed hundreds of thousands of Indigenous children from their families for forced assimilation.

“The generation that our elders are now are products of those boarding schools,” said Jacob Butler, 43, a citizen of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community who chairs Native Seeds/Search, a food-sovereignty nonprofit in the Southwest. “This big gap exists where that knowledge wasn’t passed down and shared.”

Last year, Ethan Tyo, 27, a Mohawk citizen from Akwesasne and a graduate student in food studies at Syracuse University, started a “three sisters” garden on campus to bring Native students together and to thank the campus community that supported him as a Syracuse undergraduate.

“I feel like I have something to give back,” he said.

This spring, he partnered with Ferguson of the Onondaga farm to plant another three-sisters garden at the State University of New York in Binghamton. BrieAnna Langlie, a paleoethnobotanist there, described the interactive garden system of corns, beans and squash as “biological symbiosis.” Like cooperating siblings, the corn acts as a trellis for the beans, and the squash is planted around the stalks to retain soil moisture and guard against pests and weeds.

Many Native nations share a belief in the Seventh Generation principle, which honors not only ancestors, but several generations to come. This is the intersection of Indigenous gardening and cultural preservation: planting for the future.

“To hold this seed in my hand today, somebody had to grow that for generations upon generations for it to be in my hand, and I’m just a link in that chain that exists way back in time,” Butler said. “It’s my responsibility to get it to the next generation and continue that practice and continue that tradition.”

Check out our 75th Independence year discounts on subscriptions, additional Rs.750/- off website prices. Use coupon code INDIA75 at checkout. Click here for details.

©2019 New York Times News Service

Show More
Post Your Comment
Required
Required, will not be published
All comments are moderated

On returning to traditional food methods

The cool food movement in Napa shows we can all do our part.

Title:

Content: Skip to main contentSkip to main content
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit
top story

The Climate Connection: The cool food movement in Napa

  • 0

Food is important in so many ways, not just to sustain us physically, but as a reflection of important aspects of our lives and culture. But in the age of climate change, we also need to be mindful that food makes up between a quarter and a third of our carbon footprint.

Luckily, small changes in our dietary decisions can reduce carbon emissions, slowing down climate change and helping keep the earth cool. In fact, a Cool Food revolution is already underway.

The Cool Food movement, launched by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in 2019, is a certification program to help consumers choose climate-friendly dining options, identified by a Cool Food Meals badge for dishes with a lower carbon footprint (https://www.wri.org/initiatives/cool-food-pledge).

It has been an astounding success, with more than 63 organizations signing up, serving over 3 billion meals annually. These include Nestle, Bloomberg, Cambridge University, Panera Bread, the cities of Toronto, Washington D.C and Milan, Aramark, New York University, Harvard University, IKEA, Seattle Children's Hospital and the World Bank. The aim is to cover 12 billion meals by 2025, demonstrating that changing how we eat can be a powerful way to address the climate crisis.

The program has three phases: pledging, monitoring and promotion. The goal is to “provide delicious food that is better for the planet,” then commit to reduce by 25 percent the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the food being served.

A meal’s carbon footprint is analyzed, looking at emissions from the supply chain. If the carbon footprint falls below an established per-meal threshold and meets nutritional criteria, it is approved as a Cool Food Meal. With this certification, consumers know their food choices are helping the climate.

We can all do our part. More than half of Americans have stated it’s important that their food choices are sustainable, according to data from The International Food Information Council (IFIC) https://ific.org/media-information/press-releases/consumer-research-on-sustainable-eating-and-food-waste/ ).

It’s not hard to imagine Napa becoming a Cool Food City.

Ideas to reduce your food climate footprint

-- Introduce vegetarian meals. Producing beef uses 20 times more land and emits 20 times more greenhouse gases than producing beans, per gram of protein.

-- Make plant-rich meals. Enjoying more plant-based foods is an important way to reduce pressure on the climate.

-- Reduce meat portions. If you aren’t ready for meals without meat, simply eat less of it. The benefits are a healthier lifestyle and planet.

-- Make your own meals. In addition to being satisfying, making your own food is cheaper and less carbon-emitting than products that are ready made.

-- Introduce dairy-free days. Animal products are the most water-intensive foods on the planet, so cutting down on them makes a big difference.

-- Reduce food waste. Anything you can do minimize food waste helps. Share excess produce, make a meal from leftovers, and pay attention to what is in your fridge.

-- Buy local, seasonal and organic. Napa's award-winning farmers market is delightful, and the available local produce is amazing.

Addressing climate change can feel overwhelming, but making everyday food choices is something within our reach. Simple changes to diets and enjoying more plant-based foods reaps big rewards. If you are interested in getting more information on cooling down your diet, you can take an individual pledge at http://coolfood.net/en/take-the-cool-food-challenge/

Whether it is one day a week, a complete lifestyle change, or something in between, let us look at our food choices, and cool it down, Napa.

Napa Climate NOW! is a local non-profit citizens’ group advocating for smart climate solutions based on the latest climate science, part of 350 Bay Area. Like, comment, and share our daily Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts @napaclimatenow or visit us at: http://napa.350bayarea.org

Linda Joshua is an information management consultant living in Napa, with her two children, three cats, one snake, one gecko, a wild backyard menagerie and very patient husband.

0 Comments
* I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Related to this story

Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio

Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | Omny Studio

Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.

Topics

News Alerts

Breaking News

What are the supporters of slow food movement advocating?

Make your own meals.

On returning to traditional food methods

Title:

Content: Skip to content

10 Dietitian-Backed Food Trends You Should Try in 2023

These nutrition trends will make a big difference for your health next year.
FACT CHECKED BY Olivia Tarantino

The nutrition industry is always changing, with many new food trends popping up year after year. Some of these trends come and go, but there are a few that nutrition experts say are here to stay in the New Year.

While you may not see fad diets on this list, you will find nutrition trends that will actually make a difference for your health in 2023. Just because these trends are popular right now, doesn't mean that they won't have a big impact on our health.

So let's dive in to find out exactly what experts say you can keep your eyes peeled for in 2023. Read on, and for more, don't miss Why Most New Year's Resolutions Fail by February & How To Make Yours Sustainable.

Eat more plants

You don't have to become a full-fledged vegan to be considered plant-based, and simply increasing plants in your diet has many benefits on its own.

"Plant-based eating is still rising in popularity as one of the biggest health food trends, and will likely continue through 2023 as a more cost-effective way of eating. According to the research, a plant-based lifestyle is linked to improved blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and a healthier weight. You don't have to become a full-blown vegetarian to reap these potential benefits – you can start small by incorporating 1-2 meatless meals every week and go from there," encourages Melissa Mitri, MS, RD of Melissa Mitri Nutrition.

RELATED: Incredible Effects of Eating Vegetables Every Day, Says Dietitian

Source sustainable seafood

Sustainable and wild-caught seafood is on the rise as many consumers seek out higher-quality products. Choosing wild-caught Alaskan salmon or sustainably-raised Argentinian Seabass are two of the sustainable seafood front-runners.

"Sustainably sourced and produced foods have gained significant momentum, and I predict will continue to do so in 2023. From sustainably sourced seafood and a focus on plant-based options, there are many ways you can support both your health and that of the planet," according to Sarah Anzlovar, MS, RDN, LDN, an Intuitive Eating Dietitian for Moms.

RELATED: 10 Restaurant Trends You'll See Cropping Up in 2023

Eat more pulses

Beans, peas, and lentils are all pulses and have been shown to improve health in a variety of ways. From the Blue Zones to the Mediterranean Diet, healthy populations around the world include pulses regularly, and they are here to stay in 2023.

"Pulses are a great addition for 2023! Incorporate half a cup of pulses per day for your health: improve gut health, stabilize blood sugar, and lower blood pressure. If you're not a fan of the texture, white beans can be blended and added to soups and casseroles for a creamy texture that is still nutrition-packed," Amanda Lane, MS, RD, CDCES of Healthful Lane Nutrition explains.

Focus on family dinners

Dani Lebovitz, MS, RDN, CSSD, CDCES, food literacy expert in Franklin, Tennesee, and founder of Kid Food Explorers tells us why family dinners are trending in 2023: "Although the surge of family meals that occurred during the peak of the pandemic has somewhat fizzled out, an anticipated trend for 2023 is more meals being prepared at home due to rising food costs and inflation," Lebovitz says.

She continues, "As the research suggests, the return to family meals also aligns with another food-related trend: rejecting diet culture to help kids develop healthy relationships with food. Family meals with responsive parenting practices and supportive feeding environments can positively shape children's beliefs, attitudes, and eating habits for a lifetime."

Shop food subscription services

Meal kits have been around for a while now, but new, niche food box services are popping up for nearly every kind of food. From coffee and wine to pasture-raised meat and produce boxes, you can subscribe and get customized products shipped directly to your door.

Some companies that we expect will continue to grow in 2023 are:

Eat intuitively

According to the CDC, during the pandemic, there has been a surge of eating disorder cases in emergency departments from 2019-2022. Intuitive eating and a non-diet approach have become more popular with consumers in recent years. We expect to see this trend continue in 2023 as people seek help for their eating disorders or disordered eating behaviors.

With the rise of intuitive eating, people are turning away from dieting and trying to find a balanced way of eating. We know that years of dieting have a direct effect on our mental health and can create a disordered relationship with food. Seeking out help and working towards a positive relationship with food is a trend we can get behind!

Incorporate cultural foods

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was released in December 2021 stating that there is a lack of diversity among nutrition professionals. Many dietitians have since come forward expressing a need for representation of all backgrounds in the field of nutrition, and also in the foods that dietitians recommend to their patients and clients.

"Seeking culturally diverse foods continues to be a trend and priority in both retail and institutional food service. This can provide an opportunity to increase dietary diversity through new types of root vegetables or legumes and incorporate more herbs and spices, which are full of polyphenols that act as antioxidants and fuel our gut microbiota. This trend can also help ensure that as many people are included in conversations about nutrition and health as possible because they see their cultures represented and embraced," registered dietitian Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN tells us.

Opt for a 'homestead lifestyle'

Farm-to-table takes on a whole new meaning here. Homesteading is the practice of growing your own food and raising your own animals at home. During the pandemic, we have seen a huge rise in folks moving away from the city. Homesteading, or even home gardening, was on the rise after being home more during the pandemic.

Dietitian Lara Clevenger MSH, RDN, CPT notes, "I have loved seeing the homesteading trend rise. Growing your own fruits and vegetables, raising your own livestock, and forming a community with other local homesteaders or farmers changes people's lifestyles to a slower pace of life. You can control the quality of the produce, how humanely the animals are raised, and the quality of the meat or dairy you eat."

Choose upcycled food products

Upcycled foods use products that would have otherwise gone to waste. Think fruit rinds, vegetable pulps, and extracted fibers from plants. Just because these would have otherwise gone to waste, doesn't mean they don't offer plenty of nutrition!

Upcycled products turn imperfect produce or food that would otherwise be wasted into delicious, edible snacks are just one way you can support both your health and the health of the planet," Anzlovar says.

Upcycled product examples are popping up everywhere. We love ReGrained for repurposing grains from the beer-making process and creating super nutritious flours. Similarly, The Ugly Company makes discarded fruits into dried fruit snacks.

Stay up-to-date with food labels

A couple of years ago, we saw the Nutrition Facts change with an "Added Sugar" line. Now, we may begin seeing products labeled "Healthy" if they meet a specific set of requirements. Namely, the product must be whole grain, low in fat, added sugar, and salt to qualify for the new label according to a release from the FDA this fall.

Consumers are becoming more invested in the quality of their food, and food companies are listening. Keep your eyes peeled for the new nutrition label in 2023 to keep up with the latest trends in the industry.

Caroline Thomason, RDN
Caroline is a women's health Registered Dietitian and diabetes educator based in Northern Virginia. Read more about Caroline
Filed Under

Focus on family dinners.

Title:

Content: About a fortnight ago in Rome, Pope Francis received a group of Italian activists, who drew his attention to an important initiative concerning the deteriorating situation of biodiversity and of bees in particular. The activists asked for the Pope's blessing for the European Citizen Initiative (ECI) launched by nine NGOs, including Slow Food - which calls for the phasing out of synthetic pesticides and a reduction in their use of at least 50% by 2030. Such an initiative, if signed by a million European citizens, could force European policy makers to take an initiative. Now, the European Commission in Brussels has announced the so-called 'Farm to fork strategy', one of the objectives of which is to...reduce pesticide use by 50%. The ECI could come as a powerful support for this.

Agrochemical companies such as Bayer, Basf and Syngenta hope that this ECI will fail because it directly affects their multi-billion dollar business, and an agrochemical lobby is going on to sabotage the Farm to Fork.

At the moment volunteers and many NGOs across Europe are campaigning hard to get those one million signatures. There is a deadline towards the end of September and it is therefore still very exciting whether the one million will be reached.

The role of citizens

Italian citizens can make a difference. Why? Because surprisingly few Italians (25,000) have signed up to this initiative so far. And because I know that many Italians feel attached to the land of their ancestors and to biodiversity, both of which are necessary for the production of healthy agricultural products and therefore the good ingredients of Italian cuisine... And which are also simply crucial to our survival. Years ago, I once had the honour of speaking at the great Slow Food Conference in Turin and that gathering of so many food producers, activists, scientists from all over the world and especially from Italy, all fighting and working for more sustainable food production, was simply impressive.

But despite the growing culinary and ecological awareness and the great appreciation for sustainable agriculture, the destruction machine of agrochemical agriculture and food production is unfortunately still running at full speed. Although the European Commission, announced its Farm to Fork strategy, there is still the recently approved European agricultural policy, which (also thanks to MEP Paolo di Castro) was supposedly reformed to better reward environmentally friendly production, but which unfortunately will continue to spend billions of euros annually on the destructive practices of industrial, agrochemical agriculture.

The harmful effects of pesticides on the environment and human health should have been reduced long ago with the implementation of the European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides adopted in 2009; And agriculture's dependence on synthetic chemicals should have been significantly reduced by now. This directive was revised in 2019, as an audit by the European Court of Auditors found that its implementation was inadequate in many member states, including Italy.

In March this year, a large group of Italian organisations sent an open letter to Italian policymakers to remind them of Italy's commitments to reduce pesticide use. The national action plan for the sustainable use of plant protection products expired in February 2018 and the new text submitted for public consultation in 2019 has already been overtaken by the objectives of the EU's Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies (which still need agreement).

More than 30 associations and citizens' committees, coordinated in Italy by the WWF, sent the open letter to the three ministers (Patuanelli, Cingolani and Speranza), to the chairmen of the parliamentary committees on agriculture, the environment and health, and to the president of the Conference of the Regions, all of whom are responsible for regulating the use of pesticides, asking them to adopt courageous and far-sighted positions in Europe. “Italy must make up for serious delays in updating the national action plan (NAP) on pesticides, drawing up the national strategic plan for the CAP after 2023 and adopting the national law on organic farming, all of which are indispensable instruments for protecting pollinators, agriculture, the environment and the health of citizens” they wrote.

Biodiversity at risk

Last week, three UN agencies (FAO, UNEP and INDP) published a major emergency report on the agricultural policies of western, rich countries. The report concludes that global agricultural support from rich countries to producers currently amounts to almost $540 billion a year "at a time when many countries' public finances are under pressure, especially in the developing world" and that "more than two-thirds of this support is considered price distorting and largely environmentally damaging". According to the UN institutions, the climate and millennium development goals (SDGs) are not achievable in this way.

Pesticides are a major cause of collapsing biodiversity, degrading soil fertility and depriving small farmers of a reasonable income. Scientists have already spoken of an 'insectageddon' due to the loss of insects. A few years ago, scientists published an extensive, global analysis in the scientific journal Biological Conservation, in which they calculated that the total insect population is declining by 2.5 percent per year. If this trend continues, there will be no insect left within a century. Today, about one third of all insect species are threatened with extinction, and 40 per cent of species are steadily declining.

Agriculture and food production are not sustainable in the long term like this. A transition to environmentally friendly agriculture is inevitable for the climate, soil and for a viable countryside, healthy local food and a financially healthy and vibrant countryside.

Democracy tools

The ECI instrument is intended to actively involve citizens in EU policy. We are making use of this now, in order to be heard. This is another important reason to ensure that this initiative is successful. Unfortunately, it seems that the government in Italy does not appreciate this, because it is throwing up some barriers to participation. People have to fill in their ID card number, while in countries like Belgium or the Netherlands only a date of birth is sufficient. Yet that is no reason to renounce your democratic rights as an Italian citizen. The data are not for the organisation, but only for the government to determine the percentage of valid signatures in a random sample. Afterwards, the data are deleted. So don't be put off and sign while you still can!

That Italians can mobilise en masse was proven by, among others, the successful EU citizens' initiative Stop Vivisection, which was signed by no fewer than 690,000 Italians.

And Pope Francis, did he sign? That is not known. But he did give his blessing to this ECI and that is not so surprising. In 2015 Pope Francis published the encyclical Laudato si'. For the first time, a pope put forward ecology as a theme in such a world letter. Inspired and informed by scientific and political findings, he knows what is at stake when it comes to pollution and climate change, water, loss of biodiversity and how urgent the problems are. Francis is critical of the idea that science and technology will solve everything, as many European politicians claim. The fundamental problem is that we have a wrong vision of our relationship with nature. In spite of the slogans of the agrochemical lobby, imitated by many politicians, it is indeed possible to produce enough healthy food for everyone without waging chemical warfare against the land and nature.

© Riproduzione riservata