We’re at Arabnet Conference next week (Feb 20-22) and we’re challenging you to solve 7 different agri-food challenges live at the conference for the chance to win $300 cash.
Here’s how you can have a heads-up: The challenges are all listed below. Read through them and check which one you can find an innovative solution to using your technology or engineering skills.
Then, all you have to do is find us at the Arabnet, grab a challenge and fill it up. We’ll be drawing the winner at the end of the last day.
Good Luck!
Production:
Animal feeds are not widely available in the region, heavily relying on imports. High cost of veterinary visits and drug supplies, compounded by shortages in veterinary services and a higher threat of higher disease outbreaks in animals. Can you think of an innovative solution to improve animal health and nutrition in the region?
The poor performance of Lebanese agriculture products locally and internationally is attributed to weak competitiveness and inability to access new markets. This is due to poor farming practices, lack of traceability and knowledge of market information. Can you think of an innovative solution that can help put Lebanon and the region back on the trade map?
Post Harvest:
High losses of agri-food products are due to poor post-harvest practices, poor logistics, combined with poor food safety systems and malpractices. Can you think of an innovative solution that can optimize the quality and limit these losses?
Processing:
The agri-food industry suffers from limited innovation in processing and capacity to link agriculture output to other industries such as the pharmaceutical, medical and cosmetics. Can you think of an innovative solution that would facilitate these linkages?
Market Access:
The agri-food industry lacks the information that allows exporters to access new markets and to understand the demands and preferences of consumers in these markets. Can you think of an innovative solution that would help elevate local recipes and traditional products into high value niche markets?
Food Security:
Lebanon is a net food importer, importing 80% of its food consumption needs. The country is thus highly vulnerable to the price volatility of food and other agriculture commodities. In parallel, Lebanon has an unexploited potential of agriculture areas that account to 32% of its surface area. Can you think of an innovative solution that would optimize the use of space to feed the growing population and reduce the dependency on imports?
Wild Card:
The agri-food sector faces multiple challenges in the region. The wildcard is your opportunity to build a solution to a challenge in agri-food that you believe, if solved, would have a positive impact on a large number of people in the region.