Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development, Bahrain's 'Ghitha' boost cooperation

The Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ghitha, a portfolio company of Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company – the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to establish a general framework for strategic cooperation between the two entities in areas of mutual interest.

The agreement forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Arab cooperation and support regional initiatives aimed at achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development.

The MoU was signed at AAAID’s head office by Dr. Obaid Saif Hamad Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Board of AAAID, and Basim Mohamed Al Saie, Chairman of Ghitha.

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in food security-related fields, including supporting food production, developing strategic reserves of essential food commodities, improving distribution efficiency, and ensuring equitable and sustainable access to food, in line with national and regional priorities.

Areas of cooperation also include facilitating mutual visits and field engagements between technical teams, exchanging expertise and knowledge, and developing best practices in agriculture and food security.

In addition, the MoU provides a framework to explore opportunities to develop, scale and market innovative products and services through affiliated companies of both parties, leveraging Ghitha’s growing portfolio and operational capabilities.

The cooperation further extends to identifying and leveraging strategic opportunities to access regional and international markets, supporting mutual growth by capitalising on the networks, expertise and resources of both entities. This includes the exchange of market intelligence, research data and strategic analyses to support planning processes and informed decision-making.

Dr. Al Zaabi commented, “This MoU represents an important step toward strengthening effective Arab partnerships in agriculture and food security. It reflects AAAID’s commitment to supporting sustainable investment initiatives that contribute to food security and the development of the agricultural sector across Arab countries, through cooperation with leading national institutions such as Ghitha”.

Ghitha brings together a portfolio of key national food sector companies and plays an important role in supporting Bahrain’s food security objectives. Over the next five years, Ghitha will continue to undertake major expansions and strategic investments, including partnerships with private-sector food companies, to accelerate growth, enhance operational capabilities and expand its footprint locally, regionally and internationally.

For his part, Al Saie said, “The MoU represents a strategic opportunity to exchange expertise and expand cooperation in the food and agribusiness sectors, in support of Bahrain’s food security goals and sustainable development.”