Mokhtar Bouazza, the 31-year-old founder of a vertical farm called Gardens of Babylon, and Beanoumeur Bakhti of the business incubation team at Mascara University in Algeria were presented with the ARLEM Award: Young local entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean on 7 November by the co-chairs of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM). The award, which was created in 2019, recognizes successful collaboration between entrepreneurs younger than 35 and local authorities in the Mediterranean region.
Mr Bouazza's business draws on smart technology to maximize yields while minimizing environmental impact, including the use of water. The company emerged out of a business-incubation program created by Mascara University.
The selection panel also praised the level of technological innovation – including its use of sensors, computer vision, farm-management software, and artificial intelligence – and its impact on the local rural community. The business employs 12 people and has trained 100 farmers and entrepreneurs.
The award was developed by ARLEM, which brings together local and regional politicians drawn from the 43 countries in the Union for the Mediterranean, in cooperation with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and other partners. ARLEM's members from European Union countries are drawn from the European Committee of the Regions, which founded ARLEM in 2009 and serves as ARLEM's secretariat.
© European Union / Matteo Albania
Mokhtar Bouazza, founder of Gardens of Babylon and winner of the ARLEM Award: Young local entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean: "Agriculture was once the source of life in my home state, Mascara, but environmental problems left many areas dry, including my family's land. Support from local institutions for emerging companies made us bold and we started asking: how can we bring life back to this land? This is where Gardens of Babylon technology came in. This AI-driven system saves 90% of water and helps farmers to grow more in less space: in 300 square metres what once required 4 hectares. What makes this solution innovative is that farmers do not need to learn anything about technology because AI works for them. Mascara University's incubator opened many doors for us. We are only a company; we cannot do everything alone."
Joško Klisović (HR/PES), member of the Assembly of the City of Zagreb and co-chair of the ARLEM plenary meeting on behalf of the European Committee of the Regions: "This award celebrates much more than innovation — it recognises the power of young people and local communities to drive the green and digital transition in the Mediterranean. Mokhtar's project shows that when universities, local authorities and entrepreneurs work hand in hand, they can turn ideas into jobs, sustainability and hope. This is exactly the kind of partnership our region needs for a fairer and more resilient future."
Samir Chibani, Wali of the waliya of Oran, Algeria and ARLEM co-president for the Mediterranean partners' group: "We believe that the future belongs to our youth. The ARLEM Young Entrepreneurs Award embodies this conviction: it highlights local innovation and supports the potential of the next generation, the essential driving force behind sustainable and inclusive development in our region."
