Saudi food conglomerate Almarai has announced that it has opened nominations for the 2026 edition of its food security research award, offering $500,000 to support scientific work aimed at improving food security in dryland regions.

The award, known as the Almarai Prize, is open to nominations from research institutions and PhD-qualified scientists worldwide. Self-nominations are not permitted, while institutions may submit up to three research projects for consideration, said the company in a statement.

Almarai said the prize, which it describes as the world's largest award dedicated to food security research in arid and semi-arid environments, is awarded to a single winning research project or institution.

The initiative is run in partnership with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), a collaboration that has been in place for more than two decades, it stated.

The award seeks to recognize research that contributes to addressing food security challenges in dryland regions, where water scarcity and harsh climatic conditions pose significant challenges to agricultural production.

Abdullah Alkhalid, secretary-general of the Almarai Prize for Scientific Creativity, said the award aims to promote scientific research and innovation in support of global food security efforts.

Nominations for the 2026 cycle will remain open until August 21, and are limited to qualified PhD holders and recognized research institution, he added.-TradeArabia News Service