How Modern Farming is Transforming Agriculture in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia has successfully rehabilitated one million hectares of degraded arid land over five years—an achievement the UN Food and Agriculture Organization calls “exceptional.” In one of the world’s harshest desert environments, the Kingdom restored land at a rate of 548 hectares per day, while the planet loses 100 million hectares of healthy land annually.

According to FAO program director Nizar Haddad, every dollar spent on such restoration yields between $7 and $30 in economic returns. The work supports food security by improving soil fertility, expanding grazing areas, and cutting dust storm damage to crops.

The “Saudi Countryside” program has driven modern farming advances in coffee, roses, and beekeeping. Model farms saw coffee productivity double and quality improve by one‑third. Honey production jumped from 2.5 to 10 kilograms per hive each year, with 100 small beekeepers gaining organic certification. Saudi honey now sells at more than ten times the price of commercial honey, giving it a strong edge in premium markets.

For livestock breeders, the shift from traditional methods to data‑driven management has raised lamb production by 66 percent and cut death rates by more than 70 percent. A mobile app called “Saudi Smart Herd” helps farmers track herds and access veterinary services.

The FAO notes that while rainfed crops and small‑scale livestock still face challenges—erratic rainfall, limited feed diversity—the overall direction is clear. Modern techniques, from improved seed varieties to solar drying tunnels, are turning rural farming into profitable, sustainable industries. One fig farmer produced 2,500 kilograms of dried fruit worth SR100,000 ($26,600) in just three months using a solar tunnel.

Saudi Arabia’s land restoration and modern farming push are not just environmental wins. They are building a more resilient food system and creating real economic returns in one of the world’s toughest climates.

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