AL-AMOUDI FUNDS NEWLY APPROVED KING ABDULLAH CHAIR FOR FOOD SECURITY
Sat, 12 Jun, 2010
King Saud University has organized the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Chair for Food Security, formed to monitor contaminants and the nutritional value of consumed fare in the Kingdom.
The program is being funded by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Amoudi, an Ethiopian-born Saudi businessman and frequent contributor to higher education in the Kingdom, particularly to King Saud University.
Research, which will be conducted by KSU faculty staff and students, will strive to contribute in the scientific advancement, development, stability and welfare of the Saudi nation in terms of food quality.
The program will be an invaluable partner of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, founded in July of 2003. Until the early 40s, the Kingdom relied primarily on its own production of staple foods; despite the growth of agriculture within the Kingdom, however, a wealthier, more populous and diverse Saudi population has created a significant demand for international trade in food products.
From 2008 through 2009, Saudi Arabia’s food imports increased by 25 percent, and the growth is expected to increase. Last November the 2009 Saudi Agro-Food Conference attracted 350 firms from 20 countries whose representatives were competing for Saudi imports.
With the growth of agricultural, poultry, and dairy production within and the myriad increases in imports, the Kingdom – just as many others throughout the world – began to encounter problems in terms of contamination and other hazardous elements in foodstuff for humans and animals. A recent example was the ban of certain poultry from Great Britain.
Two years ago, KSU officials, along with nearly a dozen other Saudi governmental agencies and national watchdog groups, participated in a World Trade Organization food workshop dealing with world trade agreements. The university, developing one of the region’s top medical research programs, recognized a potential opportunity, and with the support of Mohammed Al-Amoudi and King Saud University Rector Abdullah Al-Othman, has taken action to help assist the country’s quest through research and analysis, cognizant that food quality is a cornerstone for the stability and well-being.
Tags: Chair for Food Security, food security, Food Security Research Chair
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