Saudi Arabia pledged to continue to support the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in achieving water and food security, as well as fighting hunger and poverty at local, regional, and international levels. Mansour Al-Mushaiti, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, delivered this message during the 43rd FAO General Conference, where he discussed food and agriculture issues in the face of water scarcity and integrated water management to achieve food security and support flexible and effective food production.
Al-Mushaiti emphasized that Saudi Arabia places great importance on its national policies and strategies regarding agricultural and food systems, and recognizes the importance of working collaboratively with regional and international organizations and civil institutions to enhance research and use advanced technologies to overcome obstacles and achieve common goals.
He also highlighted that Saudi Arabia has adopted numerous strategies, initiatives, and programs to promote sustainable agricultural development, improve water resource management efficiency, and preserve natural resources and the environment. The Agricultural Development Fund has also adopted lending policies that rely on supporting modern technologies, with more than 70% of the capital costs of agricultural projects being covered by the lending program. Al-Mushaiti added that lending rates have increased from 500 million SAR in 2015 to 7 billion SAR in 2022.
Al-Mushaiti noted that the agricultural sector in Saudi Arabia has experienced growth in agricultural investments, achieving significant development reflected in the value of the agricultural GDP, which reached 100 billion SAR in 2022, marking its highest contribution in history. Saudi Arabia has also achieved high self-sufficiency rates in many crops, especially those relying on modern technologies, due to its integrated water management, which has reduced agricultural consumption from 86% to less than 70%.
On the sidelines of the conference, Al-Mushaiti met with the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Dr. Farooq Larvi, to discuss joint cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the fund and ways to enhance collaboration between the two parties in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
