Riyadh, October 12, 2023, The Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has forged a strategic alliance with Edama Organic Solutions, a pioneering firm specializing in sustainable organic waste management. The partnership's primary objective is to establish a new collaborative entity dedicated to revolutionizing organic waste recycling in Saudi Arabia. This initiative is poised to address the challenges of sustainable waste management and actively contribute to the development of a national circular economy, aligning with SIRC's commitment to achieving the objectives of Vision 2030.
Engineer Ziyad Al-Shiha, CEO of the SIRC Group, emphasized the importance of organic waste recycling in reducing harmful emissions, a shared goal of both SIRC and the Kingdom. He noted that SIRC is committed to leading the circular economy by fostering partnerships and investments on both local and global scales while incorporating best practices in agricultural waste recycling.
Dr. Sabrina Vettori, CEO of Edama, underscored the project's mission to provide sustainable solutions for pressing environmental challenges. Leveraging science and technology, the initiative seeks to promote a greener future for Saudi Arabia. She expressed her enthusiasm about the collaboration with SIRC, which promises to significantly expand recycling efforts and advance transformative projects across the nation.
Dr. Vettori highlighted the long-term impact of research and innovation investment and the development of pioneering agricultural products. These products are anticipated to enhance local agricultural productivity, support green initiatives, and preserve precious water resources. The project benefits from the support of the esteemed King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), which has directed its scientific expertise in plant sciences and desert agriculture toward creating products that improve plant cultivation in arid environments. These innovations will enhance agricultural productivity, reduce water irrigation requirements, and facilitate reclamation projects, land utilization, and tree planting. Among the primary areas of focus are fertilization products, with ongoing research and preparation for other products like biochar, organic materials, and microbial vaccines.
Dr. Ian Campbell, the acting Vice President for Innovation at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, emphasized that this project will transform organic waste management in the Kingdom through the use of soil amendments and specially designed organic waste products. Such strategies are essential to combat the detrimental effects of mismanaging organic waste on the environment and public health. The project's innovative waste management techniques, including recycling and converting waste into superior soil amendments, aim to make plant growth in sandy soil more efficient. Additionally, it seeks to reduce environmental pollution and greenhouse-gas emissions by mitigating fertilizer storage in open air.
The initiative will play a pivotal role in supporting the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) by introducing locally produced soil amendments to ensure a dependable supply chain for afforestation programs. This partnership will also bring innovative products to the market that reduce water irrigation requirements by transforming organic waste into premium soil amendments through composting.
Collaboratively, SIRC and Edama aspire to elevate the standards of desert agriculture, bolster local green initiatives, and reduce reliance on imported soil amendments. This cooperative endeavor marks a significant step toward realizing the objectives outlined in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and contributes to building a sustainable future for society.
SIRC, founded in 2017, aims to achieve the environmental and sustainability goals of Vision 2030 by promoting recycling and natural resource preservation. Edama, established in 2019 at KAUST, leads in cutting-edge research and innovative products for converting organic waste into resources for desert agriculture, aligning with the Kingdom's sustainability goals.
