Shift to a plant-based diet can lead to more sustainable Saudi food system

Shift to a plant-based diet can lead to more sustainable Saudi food system

In order to optimize Saudi Arabia's food systems, both the public and private sectors must work together. (SPA)
In order to optimize Saudi Arabia's food systems, both the public and private sectors must work together. (SPA)
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In the spirit of Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s road map for economic diversification, global engagement and enhanced quality of life, the Saudi public and private sectors have been working together for the past several years to promote the benefits of plant-based foods and increase the sustainability of food systems.

Given the accelerating effects and implications of climate change, and global efforts to prevent further environmental degradation, efforts need to be made to ensure the foods people choose for their diets have a low impact on the environment and help guarantee the health and well-being of the current and future generations. Against this backdrop, plant-based diets are emerging as an important and viable option for a more sustainable future.

The global plant-based food industry also represents a key economic opportunity, with an estimated market value of $11.3 billion in 2023, which is projected to increase to $35.9 billion by 2033, a compounded annual growth rate of 12.2 percent. This predicted trajectory suggests a significant ongoing shift in consumer preferences and dietary habits, reflecting a deeper societal shift toward more health-conscious and sustainable living.

That said, the plant-based food industry does have its share of challenges and so it must step up to the plate. The most notable challenges include replicating the complex flavors of some types of food, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing the intricacies of product labeling, scaling production, and maintaining competitive pricing compared with traditional products.

As the effects of climate change continue to affect every country and pose challenges to agriculture, water supplies and ecosystems, the best way for Saudi Arabia to mitigate them is to promote and implement a shift toward a plant-based diet. By adopting and promoting modern agricultural techniques, Saudi government agencies and enterprises can help establish stable plant-based food supplies and a more sustainable future for the nation.

A study conducted a few years ago in the Kingdom of public opinion on the perceived attributes that best characterize a sustainable diet revealed that on a scale of 1 to 5, a diet rich in vegetables that are organically produced earned a high rating of 3.94. This bodes well for the demand for plant-based food options, which often utilize organic produce.

By adopting and promoting modern agricultural techniques, Saudi government agencies and enterprises can help establish stable plant-based food supplies and a more sustainable future for the nation.

Majed Al-Qatari

Worldwide, a shift toward a plant-based diet would help improve sustainability by reducing carbon footprints and emissions of greenhouse gases. Traditional livestock agriculture is blamed for 15 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. It uses 70 percent of all land used for agriculture, which must be cleared in preparation for rearing livestock, thereby resulting in deforestation and loss of biodiversity.

The good news from both data and anecdotal evidence is that demand for organic products is increasing in Saudi Arabia, in tandem with a palpable shift in consumer tastes toward plant-based foods. If the trend continues, it would be a dream come true for the restaurants and cafes in Saudi Arabia that have been adding plant-based and organic items to their menus.

As demand for products compatible with a plant-based diet grows, so will the number of stores serving that demand, which in turn will attract investors to businesses that supply those stores. This will also help to promote more sustainable farming practices.

Organic farming techniques, as previously noted, help to conserve biodiversity and soil fertility, while preventing soil erosion and degradation. Increased consumption of organically produced foods can also help to improve public health and ensure the sustainable utilization of natural resources.

In addition, plant-based diets can improve sustainability by reducing food waste compared with animal-based diets, resulting in lower carbon emissions during the production and disposal of food.

The Kingdom therefore advocates the sustainable production and consumption of food, taking into account population growth, environmental concerns, and diversification of the national economy.

The participation of the private sector in these efforts will include corporate sustainability schemes, the utilization of innovation and technology, and cooperation with academia and civil society organizations.

As Nada Alturki explains in her report on this page: “Just a few short years ago, visitors to Saudi Arabia could never have imagined feasting on a plate of vegan tuna nigiri or a meatless shawarma. Thanks to new investments in agricultural technologies, these plant-based alternatives are now firmly on the menu.”

This signifies the evolution of consumer choices and the influence of sustainable ways of doing business. Entrepreneurs are taking advantage of this trend by opening restaurants and cafes focused on plant-based diets around the country.

Optimization of sustainable food systems in Saudi Arabia will be best achieved through the combined contributions of both private and public sectors. Through food policy adjustment, innovation, and consumer awareness, Saudi Arabia can speed up its adoption of a future sustainable food system.

These sustainable food systems will see the Kingdom accelerating its food production, providing a steady supply to restaurants and cafes, lowering the rate of food imports, and majorly enhancing organic food consumption in homes, cafes, and restaurants in the country.

Majed Al-Qatari is a sustainability leader, ecological engineer and UN Youth Ambassador with experience in advancing ESG and sustainability goals in corporate businesses, nonprofit organizations and financial institutions.

 

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News' point of view

Russia’s torture of Ukrainian civilians, prisoners is a crime against humanity, UN expert panel says

Russia’s torture of Ukrainian civilians, prisoners is a crime against humanity, UN expert panel says
Updated 7 min 27 sec ago
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Russia’s torture of Ukrainian civilians, prisoners is a crime against humanity, UN expert panel says

Russia’s torture of Ukrainian civilians, prisoners is a crime against humanity, UN expert panel says

UN: Russia’s torture of Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war is a crime against humanity, UN-backed human rights experts said Thursday.
Erik Møse, chair of the independent commission investigating human rights violations in Ukraine, told reporters that the panel previously described Russia’s widespread and systematic use of torture in Ukraine and Russia against civilians and prisoners, both men and women, as a war crime.
“Our recent findings demonstrate that Russian authorities have committed torture in all provinces of Ukraine that came under their control, as well as in the detention facilities that the commission has investigated in the Russian Federation,” he said.
Russia’s UN Mission said it had no comment on the press conference or the report by the commission, which is appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Møse said the commission is an investigative body. He noted that Ukraine’s prosecutor general and the International Criminal Court are investigating possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine and the commission may be asked for evidence.
The commissioners examined reports from 41 different detention centers, from makeshift centers to well-established facilities, in nine occupied regions of Ukraine and eight areas in Russia, Møse said.
He said the commission identified further evidence that violent practices common in Russian detention facilities were also practiced in similar facilities in Russian-occupied areas in eastern Ukraine, he said.
The commission also found additional evidence of the recurrent use of sexual violence as a form of torture, Møse said.
Detainees were subjected to rape, long periods of forced nudity, body searches and more, commission member Vrinda Gover said. She said most prisoners of war reported being subjected to sexual violence and suffering long-lasting psychological trauma.
Ukrainians in detention facilities in Ukraine and in Russia also reported “a brutal so-called admission procedure,” Gover said.
“Harsh practices designed to scare, break, humiliate, coerce and punish detainees were used routinely,” she said.
Surveillance cameras were used to watch detainees and severe collective punishment of detainees was imposed for every breach of rules, while “interrogations were accompanied by some of the most violent treatment documented,” Gover said.
Commission member Pablo de Greiff told reporters it now has evidence of the Russian organizational structure that coordinated and enabled torture in the detention facilities.
“Moreover, the Commission now has evidence that the leadership of detention facilities or other higher ranking Russian authorities ordered, encouraged, tolerated or took no action to stop torture or ill treatment,” de Grieff said.
Møse said the commission’s investigation also found that the violent practices against detainees in Russia were transferred by Russian security forces and staff to detention facilities run by Russia in areas it occupied in Ukraine.
“Based on this body of evidence, we have concluded that the Russian authorities acted pursuant to a coordinated state policy of torturing Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war,” he said. “Therefore, in addition to torture as a war crime, they also committed torture as a crime against humanity.”


Thousands of volunteers join Madinah’s green future drive

Thousands of volunteers join Madinah’s green future drive
Updated 21 min 35 sec ago
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Thousands of volunteers join Madinah’s green future drive

Thousands of volunteers join Madinah’s green future drive

MADINAH: Ayman bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, director general of the environment, water and agriculture branch in Madinah, has launched the “2024 National Planting Season” in the city.

The program extends the ministry’s nationwide campaign “We Plant for Our Future,” supporting sustainable environmental development and vegetation growth as part of the Saudi Green Initiative.

The regional campaign features 36 volunteer programs involving more than 1,800 female and male participants. Plans include planting 50,000 water-efficient and environmentally sustainable seedlings, comprising mesquites, thorn jujube and sweet acacia trees, alongside 20 other wild plant species, aiming to boost environmental and agricultural awareness.

The campaign’s first phase targets education facilities, Prince Sultan Military Medical City and the Saudi Authority for Industrial and Technology Zones, or Modon.

This effort focuses on expanding green spaces, streamlining planting processes, and encouraging community-wide participation in vegetation preservation and planting initiatives.
 


Rapper Young Thug pleads guilty to gang, drug and gun charges

Rapper Young Thug pleads guilty to gang, drug and gun charges
Updated 12 min 46 sec ago
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Rapper Young Thug pleads guilty to gang, drug and gun charges

Rapper Young Thug pleads guilty to gang, drug and gun charges

ATLANTA: Rapper Young Thug pleaded guilty Thursday in Atlanta to gang, drug and gun charges and will be released from jail, though he could be put back behind bars if he violates the terms of his sentence.
The 33-year-old Grammy winning artist, whose given name is Jeffery Williams, entered his pleas without reaching a deal with prosecutors after negotiations between the two sides broke down, lead prosecutor Adriane Love said. That left the sentence completely up to Fulton County Superior Court Judge Paige Reese Whitaker.
Young Thug’s plea comes two and a half years after he was arrested and charged and nearly a year after the prosecution started presenting evidence in the problem-plagued trial. Jury selection at the courthouse in Atlanta began in January 2023 and took nearly 10 months. Prosecutors have called dozens of witnesses since opening statements last November in the trial of six defendants.
The trial has faced many delays, including in July when the original judge was removed after two defendants sought his recusal, citing a meeting the judge held with prosecutors and a state witness.
Young Thug pleaded guilty to one gang charge, three drug charges and two gun charges. He also entered a no contest plea to another gang charge and a racketeering conspiracy charge, meaning that he decided not to contest those charges but can be punished for them as if he had pleaded guilty.
The judge imposed a sentence of 40 years with the first five to be served in prison but commuted to time served, followed by 15 years on probation. If he successfully completes that probation without any violations, another 20 years will be commuted to time served. But if he violates the conditions, he will have to serve those 20 years in addition to any penalty for a probation violation.
Young Thug must stay away from the metro Atlanta area for the first 10 years of his probation, except for weddings, funerals, graduations or serious illness of family members, the judge said.
But she also ordered him to return to the Atlanta area four times a year during his probation to make a live anti-gang, anti-gun violence presentation at a school or a community organization serving children. She said that can count toward the 100 hours of community service she ordered him to perform each year during probation.
He’s also not allowed to associate with gang members or with the victims or other defendants in the case, with the exception of his brother and the rapper Gunna, with whom he has contractual obligations. He also cannot promote any criminal street gang or gang activity and can’t use hand signs or terminology that promotes a street gang.
Additional conditions include submitting to random drug screens and not possessing a gun. But he is allowed to travel both nationally and internationally for work, even while on probation.
Love had outlined for the judge the evidence she would have presented to prove Young Thug’s guilt, including some of his rap lyrics. She asked the judge to sentence him to 45 years, with 25 years in prison and the remaining 20 years on probation.
The rapper’s lead attorney Brian Steel said they “vehemently disagree” with many of the statements Love made and said it was “offensive” that the state is using Young Thug’s lyrics against him.
Steel said the evidence against his client is weak and accused prosecutors of misrepresenting and hiding evidence, saying Young Thug was “falsely accused.” Steel said he told his client that he thought they were winning the trial and should go through to a jury verdict.
“But he told me, ‘I can’t wait another three months if there is any possibility I could go home because I have children that are hurting. I have things to do,’” Steel said.
Steel asked the judge to impose a sentence of 45 years with five in prison commuted to time served and 40 years on probation.
Young Thug asked the judge to let him go home, saying he wouldn’t be in a similar situation again.
“I’ve learned from my mistakes, you know. I come from nothing and I’ve made something and I didn’t take full advantage of it. I’m sorry,” he said.
The judge said she appreciated that he realized the impact that he has on people worldwide. She said rap music may involve a lot of posturing but that children emulate some of the dangerous behavior mentioned in songs. She encouraged Young Thug to use his talent and influence to encourage kids to do the right thing.
“I want you to try to be more of the solution and less of the problem,” Whitaker said.
A tremendously successful rapper, Young Thug started his own record label, Young Stoner Life or YSL. Prosecutors have said he also co-founded a violent criminal street gang and that YSL stands for Young Slime Life.
He was charged two years ago in a sprawling indictment accusing him and more than two dozen other people of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He also was charged with gang, drug and gun crimes.
Three of his Young Thug’s co-defendants had already pleaded guilty this week after reaching deals with prosecutors. The pleas leave the fates of two other co-defendants still undecided.
Nine people charged in the indictment accepted plea deals before the trial began. Twelve others are being tried separately. Prosecutors dropped charges against one defendant after he was convicted of murder in an unrelated case.


Horror in spotlight at Boulevard World

Horror in spotlight at Boulevard World
Updated 46 min 11 sec ago
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Horror in spotlight at Boulevard World

Horror in spotlight at Boulevard World

RIYADH: Boulevard World is offering an array of thrilling horror experiences, inviting visitors to embark on spine-chilling adventures filled with mystery and surprise.

One of its standout attractions, The Dolls' Trip, takes visitors into an abandoned doll factory hidden within an ancient Mexican pyramid. What starts as a school trip quickly turns into a nightmare as dolls come to life in the shadows, trapping visitors in dark, labyrinthine tunnels.

Along the way they encounter eerie scenes such as the abandoned bus and the doll workshop, in which the lifeless figures seem poised to awaken. This adventure accommodates groups of eight, ensuring an exhilarating experience.

In the Egypt zone, the Mystery of the Nile adventure plunges visitors into the depths of ancient Egyptian history.

Aboard a boat navigating a mystical river, guests face mummies that shake the boat violently. As they journey through narrow bridges and corridors filled with traps, hieroglyphic symbols light up the walls, accompanied by spine-tingling sounds. This experience features stunning visual and sound effects, keeping participants on high alert throughout.

Pyramid Trail, which is also in the Egypt zone, challenges visitors with puzzles and obstacles deep inside an ancient pyramid. The adventure begins in a laser-filled room in which participants must carefully maneuver to avoid detection.

They then board a conveyor belt adorned with hieroglyphic symbols, dodging moving obstacles. The journey concludes with leaps over circular trampolines above a snake-themed pit.

Meanwhile, The Vampire Hotel awaits visitors to the Italy zone, where an Italian-inspired design sets a dark and eerie atmosphere. The journey begins in a haunted elevator that leaves participants with an unsettled feeling.

As they navigate the dim corridors, visitors encounter sticky walls, with curtains and furniture moving mysteriously. The highlight of the experience is the coffin room, where guests are invited to lay inside coffins. The hotel also boasts a dining room resembling a chilling movie scene.

Boulevard World’s horror attractions promise unparalleled thrills during Riyadh Season 2024, offering visitors the chance to explore new levels of fear and excitement at every turn.
 


UN extends mandate for UN peacekeepers in Western Sahara, with Algeria protesting over human rights

UN extends mandate for UN peacekeepers in Western Sahara, with Algeria protesting over human rights
Updated 01 November 2024
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UN extends mandate for UN peacekeepers in Western Sahara, with Algeria protesting over human rights

UN extends mandate for UN peacekeepers in Western Sahara, with Algeria protesting over human rights

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in the Western Sahara for another year Thursday with Algeria refusing to vote in protest at the resolution’s failure to include a reference to monitoring human rights in the disputed north African territory.
The vote was 12 countries in favor, Russia and Mozambique abstaining, and Al geria, which supports the Polisario Front, one of the parties to the nearly 50-year dispute, not voting.
Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony in 1975, sparking a conflict with the Algerian-backed pro-independence Polisario Front. The region is believed to have considerable offshore oil deposits and mineral resources and is slightly larger than the United Kingdom.
The UN brokered a 1991 ceasefire and established a peacekeeping mission to monitor the truce and help prepare a referendum on the territory’s future. Disagreements over who is eligible to vote have prevented the referendum from taking place, and Morocco insists it will now only support autonomy for the Western Sahara.
The Polisario Front renewed armed conflict in 2020, ending a 29-year truce, and tensions have escalated.
Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama tried unsuccessfully to get two amendments inserted into the US-drafted resolution, and lashed out at the United States for reportedly not including its requests including for the UN mission known as MINURSO to monitor human rights in Western Sahara in the resolution.
US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said the resolution makes clear the Security Council’s support for Staffan de Mistura, the secretary-general’s personal envoy to Western Sahara, “as he intensifies efforts to advance an enduring and dignified resolution for Western Sahara without further delay.”
Wood said it is “more urgent than ever to reach a political solution for Western Sahara,” noting that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently reiterated that the US views Morocco’s autonomy proposal “as serious, credible, and realistic and one potential approach to satisfy the aspirations of the people of Western Sahara.”
Earlier this month, UN envoy de Mistura proposed dividing Western Sahara as one potential way to satisfy both sides and give residents a chance to decide under who they want to live, but he told the council that both Morocco and the Polisario Front showed “no sign of willingness to explore it further.”