Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is moving to localise modern agriculture across the Kingdom, fuelling innovation and research to achieve food security, reduce imports, and sustain the nation's precious water and natural resources.
The ministry is pioneering the use of smart agricultural technologies to overcome the limitations of the desert environment. By adopting techniques like hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, and high-tech greenhouses integrated with AI, the Kingdom is significantly reducing water consumption, boosting productivity, and maximising resource efficiency.
The desert is no longer a barrier; it is becoming a fertile ground for agricultural innovation. These revolutionary production methods are creating new opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs. Modern agriculture is critical for providing safe, healthy, and pollution-free food, minimising the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and mitigating the negative effects of climate change on crops.
The strategic shift emphasises high-impact technologies. Hydroponics saves up to 90% of water compared to traditional methods. Pilot projects by the National Research and Development Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah) have already demonstrated these massive water savings while producing high-quality vegetables for both local and global markets.
Vertical farming allows for high-quality, controlled production in limited spaces, drastically cutting down on pesticide use.
High-tech greenhouses use sophisticated climate control, irrigation, and fertilization systems. Tomato production in these advanced facilities has reached an impressive 99 kilogrammes per square metre, with remarkably low water consumption of just three litres per kilogramme.
These results confirm that high-tech greenhouses significantly exceed traditional agricultural output while drastically cutting water and fertilizer use.
The ministry recently laid the foundation stone for the smart agriculture project in Riyadh, a tangible step aimed at promoting agricultural innovation and contributing to food security and sustainable development across the Middle East. The overall strategy, which encourages the widespread adoption of these modern technologies, is a vital pillar for enhancing agricultural productivity and sustaining natural resources, directly supporting the ambitious goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
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