Saudi Arabia Boosts Environmental and Agricultural Initiatives with $186.62 Billion Investment Plan
RIYADH — The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has made significant strides in enhancing environmental and agricultural sectors across Saudi Arabia. A key achievement includes increasing waste diversion to 18% of the 134 million tons generated annually, a substantial rise from just 5% in 2018. This initiative is part of broader efforts aimed at improving quality of life, strengthening food and water security, promoting environmental sustainability, and diversifying the economy.
Comprehensive National Investment Plan
To foster investment and create a conducive business environment, the Kingdom has launched a comprehensive national plan that encompasses all regions and spans 22 clusters. This plan aligns with major projects such as NEOM, Al-Ula, and the Red Sea Project, presenting 387 investment opportunities valued at over SR700 billion. Recent activities have included 16 investment opportunities worth SR260 million and seven contracts totaling SR35 million, alongside various agricultural and environmental projects.
Environmental Sustainability Efforts
In the realm of environmental sustainability, the Kingdom has rehabilitated 1 million hectares of degraded land and planted over 159 million trees, contributing to the Saudi Green Initiative’s ambitious goal of planting 10 billion trees across 40 million hectares. Furthermore, the accuracy of meteorological forecasts has improved to 88.81% in 2025, up from 88.07% in 2024. This enhancement is supported by a flood forecasting system utilizing 120-hour maps linked to over 6,000 drainage outlets and 545 dams. A unified “Saudi Meteorology Platform” is also in development, which will provide 10-day forecasts throughout the Kingdom.
Wildlife conservation initiatives have seen the release of 1,593 animals, with plans for an additional 901 by the end of 2025. The Thadiq Breeding Center, covering 31 million square meters, is also under development. The Kingdom has recorded over 84,500 seabirds and identified five internationally recognized sites for migration and breeding, alongside 39 additional sites. Monitoring programs have documented 1,219 marine sightings, further supporting ecosystem conservation.
International Leadership and Water Sector Developments
On the international stage, Saudi Arabia is spearheading initiatives such as the Green Middle East Secretariat and the Riyadh Drought Partnership, which was launched at COP16 in 2024. The Kingdom will also preside over COP16 for 2025–2026 and is involved in the Business for Land initiative.
In the water sector, supply has surpassed 16 million cubic meters per day, an increase of over 1 million cubic meters daily, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a leader in desalination technology. A local reverse osmosis plant has contributed approximately SR1.5 billion to the GDP, while the Kingdom has set two additional Guinness World Records, bringing the total to 11, including the largest reverse osmosis desalination system and the lowest energy consumption.
Water services have expanded through 57 projects valued at SR4.62 billion, increasing network coverage to 83.69%. Additionally, 33 sanitation projects worth SR2.25 billion have raised coverage to 67.05%. The transmission capacity has risen by 2.5 million cubic meters per day, while storage capacity has increased by 2 million cubic meters, reaching a total of 29 million cubic meters. The overall system capacity now exceeds 18.5 million cubic meters per day.
Water reuse has reached 30%, with conservation efforts saving 40,000 cubic meters daily and reducing waste by over 1.4 million cubic meters. These initiatives have benefitted more than 2,700 individuals. A total of 2,189 meters have been installed, bringing the cumulative total to 5,000, alongside the drilling of 38 wells to enhance groundwater resources.
Agricultural Output and Food Security
Agricultural output has reached 16 million tons, raising the sector’s GDP to SR118 billion and reflecting a growth rate of 5%. The trade deficit has decreased to SR84 billion from SR86 billion, despite a population increase of 4.7%. Food security financing has reached SR6.45 billion, contributing 9.6% to agricultural GDP and accounting for 25% of total financing for modern technologies.
Wheat procurement totaled 4.52 million tons, which includes 900,000 tons of local wheat, 920,000 tons from overseas investments, and 2.7 million tons of imports, with a target of 5.1 million tons for the upcoming year. More than 1.3 million tons of strategic goods have been supplied locally. Food waste has declined to 27.9%, down from 33.1% in 2019, marking a 16% reduction, alongside the launch of a national platform aimed at reducing food loss and waste.
Date exports have surged by 14.3% year-on-year and 59.5% since 2021, reaching SR1.938 billion, with production exceeding 1.9 million tons from over 37 million palm trees, exported to more than 125 countries. The sector has also seen the accreditation of 80 export centers and the registration of over 600 farms, expanding global partnerships.
Livestock and Digital Transformation
Livestock programs have successfully vaccinated over 41 million animals, achieving 73% of the target, with plans to vaccinate 43 million animals (78%). Eighteen animal diseases have been controlled, and major equine diseases have been eliminated. A smart monitoring platform has been launched to enhance oversight in this sector.
In terms of digital services, 64 e-services have been introduced via the “Nama” platform, 41 through Tawakkalna, and over 40 internal services, ensuring full integration across platforms. The “Nibras” platform has been established to support research and innovation, with the Kingdom ranking 7th in the Emerging Technologies Readiness Index and achieving 100% compliance with UN e-government standards.
The Ministry has received multiple accolades, including the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2025 award, CMMI certification, ISO 9001 certification, and the Arab Digital Government Award 2025, highlighting its leadership in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.
Source: www.zawya.com
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Published on 2026-04-28 18:59:00 • By the Editorial Desk
