Agriculture Minister to inaugurate 10th GPCA Fertiliser Convention

KEY FORUM: The Convention will be held under the theme ‘Transformation: New Era for the Agri-nutrients industry’ during September 24-26 at Kempinski Hotel Muscat

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf region, has announced that Dr Hamad bin Said al Aufi (pictured), Oman’s Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth, will inaugurate the 10th edition of the GPCA Fertiliser Convention held during September 24-26, 2019 at Kempinski Hotel Muscat.

The convention will take place under the Minister’s patronage and address the theme of ‘Transformation: New Era for the Agri-nutrients industry’. The event returns to Muscat for the second consecutive year, following one of its most successful editions to date, which attracted over 300 delegates from the region and the world to network, exchange best practice and learn about the latest technology and market trends in the agri-nutrients industry.

Dr Abdulrahman Jawahery, President, GPIC, and Vice Chairman, GPCA, will deliver the opening remarks during the event. The keynote address on day one will be presented by Samir al Abdrabbuh, EVP — Agrinutrients, SABIC, and Vice Chairman, Fertilisers Committee, GPCA, while John Baffes, Senior Economist, World Bank (Development Prospects Group), will deliver the keynote address on the following day.

The agri-nutrient industry has undergone strategic consolidation, underpinned by increased focus on innovation, producing higher valueadded products and capitalising on the opportunities arising in key emerging markets which are driving demand for fertilisers globally.

To address these trends, the GPCA Fertiliser Convention will be held under the theme ‘Transformation: A New Era for the Agri-nutrients Industry’, and will cover a wide variety of topics including food security in the Arabian Gulf region, technology trends and disruptions, strategies for growth, fertiliser market trends and producing enhanced quality fertilisers, among others.

Day zero will include a workshop entitled ‘Human Capital: Making the workforce ready for the future’ which will discuss diversity and inclusion in the fertiliser industry, alongside a series of technical workshops, providing further opportunities for delegates to learn about best global and regional practices from leading technology providers.

Dr Abdulwahab al Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “Building on the success of last year’s edition, we are proud to be organising the 10th GPCA Fertiliser Convention for the second year in Oman.

Over the years, the convention has positioned the Arabian Gulf in the driving seat of industry leadership and innovation, attracting thought leaders, senior industry experts and decision makers to share valuable insight on fast-moving industry topics.

“We will once again showcase our industry’s achievements to a diverse international audience and share key learnings from across the globe on how to meet the challenges affecting the market head on. Addressing global food security remains at the top of the industry’s agenda, and the deployment of innovative technologies and digitalisation along the entire value chain will prove especially important to meet this challenging goal. I look forward to welcoming stakeholders from across the board to exchange valuable ideas and learn from one another at this prestigious event.”