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Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s Strategy Approved

The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s strategy approved until 2025 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s strategy approved until 2025 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s Strategy Approved

The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s strategy approved until 2025 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi Agricultural Development Fund’s strategy approved until 2025 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The National Development Fund’s (NDF) Board of Directors has approved a strategy by the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) for a period extending from 2021 till 2025, the Kingdom revealed on Sunday.

The strategy allows the Fund to advance in the roles of sustainable rural development and agricultural supply chains, promote key products and support investment in targeted crops.

Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman al-Fadhli, who is also Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Agricultural Development Fund, affirmed that the new strategic goals come in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and its food security strategy.

He pointed out that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and his crown prince support the environment, water and agriculture system.

The new strategy seeks to lead the transformation process in the Fund for the coming years and maximize its future role, Fadhli explained.

He said this is done through the continued support to the main agricultural sectors targeted in the agricultural strategy, which are poultry, greenhouses and aquaculture and sustainable rural development, expansion through agricultural supply chains and support services to the agricultural sector and the support of the agricultural investment abroad in the Food Security Strategy’s targeted crops.

Among these strategies are maintaining financial balance, enhancing operational efficiency, raising spending efficiency, localizing local content, and achieving the Fund’s development goals, the Minister noted.

He affirmed that the Fund will work to increase the value of lending and update its credit regulations to obtain loans in the future in order to keep pace with the rapid growth in this key sector.

Director-General of the ADF and its Board’s Vice-Chairman Munir al-Sahli said the new strategy is an extension to the former one’s success during the period between 2016-2020, which achieved financial balance and sustainability.

During that period, the Fund managed to achieve financial balance and raise the efficiency of spending by converting a deficit of SAR568 million in 2015 to a surplus of SAR50 million in 2019.

It also increased the total financing for agricultural activities from about SAR450 million in 2016 to about SAR1.9 billion in 2019, Sahli said, adding that it also managed to attain the goals of this distinct financing, qualitative, and operational strategy.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.