SABIC highlights support for agricultural industry at GPCA fertilizer convention in Muscat

SABIC participated in an annual gathering of leaders from the global fertilizer industry at the ninth Gulf Petrochemical and Chemical Association Fertilizer (GPCA) Convention in Muscat, Oman, from September 18 to 20, highlighting its vital role in supporting the production of wholesome crops and helping farmers produce higher yields. SABIC was one of the sponsors of the convention.

Yousef Al-Benyan, SABIC Vice Chairman and CEO, and GPCA Chairman, along with Samir Al-Abdrabbuh Executive Vice President of SABIC Agri-Nutrients Business joined other distinguished business owners and executives on the opening day of the convention, which was held under the patronage of Dr. Fuad Bin Jaafar Bin Mohammed Al-Sajwani, Oman Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Commenting on SABIC’s Agri-Nutrients strategy, Al-Abdrabbuh said, “Our key strategic intention is to be closer to farmers, understand their needs and form reliable partnerships with them for sustainable solutions. We seek to develop a specialty portfolio and innovative products that help farmers boost yield, improve profitability, and enhance sustainability performance.”

As part of GPCA's "Leaders of Tomorrow" (LoT) initiative, Al-Abdrabbuh inspired the participating students at the convention with an overview of the importance of building diversified career paths and valuable professional networks and what it means to seek new ways of innovation and creativity in the world. He further highlighted SABIC's strategy of identifying and growing talent within the company. SABIC sponsored the LoT event as well as the gala dinner on the first day of the convention.

The year-long LoT initiative involves GPCA member companies sponsoring students to attend its yearly conferences. The aim is to provide opportunities to the students to learn more about industry trends and give them an overview of the skill set required to face new challenges. It also supports member companies with their local talent acquisition process.

On the opening day of the convention, Dr. Khalid Al-Assaf , Director, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Development Center (Estidamah), Riyadh, presented a paper on SABIC’s pioneering efforts in farming research. The Center, which was established in association with the Saudi Ministry of Agriculture with the primary goal of promoting sustainable agriculture, seeks to provide a range of agriculture-related solutions to public and private agencies at the national and international level.

SABIC participated with a booth at an exhibition held on the sidelines of the convention. It highlighted its strategic goals in the market with a broad range of new agri-nutrient solutions. The new offerings, which are at an advanced stage of research, include new urea grades, agri-nutrients having both micronutrients and soil conditioners, in addition to water-soluble solutions.

The convention, which was held under the theme “New frontiers and opportunities,” highlighted the key role of fertilizers in ensuring global food security. Various technical sessions dedicated to operational efficiency and environmental sustainability were held, along with a workshop on customer value management.