Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — The Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, has entered into a strategic partnership with Edama Organic Solutions, a sustainable management solutions firm for organic waste, to create a joint company dedicated to revolutionizing organic waste recycling in the Kingdom.
The joint project will help in meeting the challenge of sustainable waste management and contribute to creating a national circular economy, in line with SRIC’s commitment to achieving the goals of Vision 2030, SIRC said in a statement.
CEO of the SIRC Group Eng. Ziyad Al-Shiha said that “organic waste recycling projects are one of the goals of the SIRC, as well as the Kingdom in general, to reduce harmful emissions.”
He also said that “the SIRC Group will work to lead the circular economy by activating partnerships and investments, both locally and globally, and enhancing local content using best practices in agricultural waste recycling.”
Edama CEO Dr. Sabrina Vettori said, “This project works to find sustainable solutions to address pressing environmental challenges. By taking advantage of science and technology, the project aims to promote a greener future for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Vettori highlighted the “long-term impact of investing in research and innovation and developing a vision for developing pioneering agricultural products” and stressed that “these products would significantly enhance local agricultural productivity and support green initiatives while preserving precious water resources “.
The project benefits from the support of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).
Edama has directed its scientific expertise in plant sciences and desert agriculture to create products that improve plant cultivation in arid environments, higher agricultural productivity that leads to increased local food security, reduce the need for water for irrigation, and facilitate land reclamation projects and tree planting.
Acting Vice President for Innovation at KAUST Dr. Ian Campbell, said that “the management of organic waste in the Kingdom will be transformed through the use of soil amendments and specially designed organic waste products”, thus helping “combat the harmful effects of mismanaging organic waste on the environment and public health.”
Campbell also said that this project will provide a solution to the challenges faced by the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) in its mission to plant 10 billion trees and restore over 40 million hectares of degraded land through cutting-edge research and development.
According to him, “through this partnership, locally produced soil amendments will be introduced, ensuring a reliable supply chain for afforestation programs and bringing innovative products to the market that reduce water irrigation requirements by transforming organic waste into premium soil amendments through composting.”
Edama, in collaboration with SIRC, aims to improve the standards of desert agriculture, support and enhance local green initiatives, and reduce reliance on imported soil amendments. This cooperative project is a significant step towards realizing the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and building a sustainable future for society, the release said.