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The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced that Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli inaugurated the Training Packages for Farmers initiative at the opening of Saudi Agriculture 2026 in Riyadh. The program partners with the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, known as Estidamah, and Saudi Reef Academy to transform research findings into practical modules that enhance techniques, water efficiency and technology adoption across the sector. Al-Fadhli oversaw the signing of supporting agreements during the event that broaden the technical foundation for the training drive.
According to the ministry, Estidamah will develop training content drawn from its sustainable agriculture research portfolio while Saudi Reef Academy adapts that content into regional delivery packages. The structured collaboration targets measurable gains in production efficiency together with more responsible management of natural resources. The initiative forms part of sustained government actions to link scientific advances directly to field practices nationwide.
General Authority for Statistics data for 2024 places date production at roughly 1.923 million tons while overall agricultural output has doubled from about 6 million tons in 2016 to more than 12 million tons by 2025 according to official assessments. These figures illustrate the sector’s expanding contribution to food security under Saudi Vision 2030, which stresses sustainability and reduced pressure on scarce water supplies. The new training program seeks to accelerate further improvements by closing knowledge gaps among producers.
The ministry’s announcement listed cooperation agreements concluded with SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company, NSG Geospatial Services and the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) along with a memorandum of understanding with Qassim University. These partnerships will integrate specialized input on nutrients, geospatial tools, resource applications and academic findings into the training materials. Deputy Minister Mansour Al-Mushaiti attended the launch, reinforcing the program’s position within wider modernization objectives.
The ministry has pursued related efforts including the Digital Farmer Field Schools project launched in July 2026 that established 39 equipped facilities and a digital platform to extend advisory services to smallholders, women and youth. Both programs address geographic barriers and promote practices that conserve resources while lifting productivity in a sector that accounts for the majority of national water consumption. Analyses of controlled-environment methods indicate potential water savings of up to 90 percent compared with traditional open-field approaches.
Participation in the training packages is expected to scale as Saudi Reef Academy implements sessions in targeted regions identified through the Estidamah partnership framework. The initiative emphasizes applied learning that equips farmers to integrate innovations effectively within local conditions. Ministry statements indicate the program will continue to draw on expanding research networks to refine content in coming months.
