Makkah Environment Authority seeks to enhance food supply chains to serve pilgrims
In a strategic move aimed at ensuring the smooth flow of food products in one of the Kingdom's most vital regions, the Makkah branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture held a crucial coordination meeting with several major investors in the food sector. The meeting was chaired by Eng. Waleed bin Ibrahim Al-Dughais, the branch's Director General, and attended by his deputy, Eng. Hassan bin Ibrahim Al-Mu'idi, the head of the Jeddah Fruit and Vegetable Brokers Association, and a select group of investors in the livestock, fruit and vegetable, and poultry sectors.
This meeting comes as part of the Kingdom's ongoing efforts, in line with the goals of Vision 2030, to strengthen the national food security system. These efforts are of paramount importance in the Makkah region, which receives millions of pilgrims and Umrah performers annually, placing significant pressure on supply chains and requiring exceptional operational readiness to ensure the availability and sustainability of food products throughout the year, especially during religious seasons.
Discussion of the most prominent challenges and ways to address them
The meeting featured an open and fruitful discussion on the most prominent challenges facing investors in the sector. Operational and regulatory obstacles that could affect the smooth flow of products from source to consumer were reviewed. Ways to address these challenges and find innovative and sustainable solutions were discussed, with proposals and development ideas exchanged to enhance the efficiency of food supply chains.
The discussion focused on the importance of integration between government agencies and the private sector, facilitating regulatory procedures, and supporting investors to enable them to expand their activities, thereby ensuring market stability and meeting increasing demand with high efficiency.
Strategic impact on the region
Strengthening food supply chains in the Makkah region not only provides food for residents and pilgrims, but also has broader economic and social implications. The stability of these chains contributes to creating an attractive investment environment, encourages the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural and logistics sectors, and enhances the Kingdom's ability to efficiently manage massive crowds, thus reflecting the Kingdom's civilized image internationally.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Engineer Al-Daghis affirmed that this meeting comes as part of a series of efforts made by the Ministry branch to enhance cooperation with the private sector, stressing that the branch will continue to hold coordination meetings and conduct field visits to follow up on the implementation of the proposed solutions and achieve the highest levels of readiness to serve the region and its beneficiaries.
