The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture celebrated International Coffee Day, which is celebrated globally every year on 1 October, to promote fair trade coffee and to raise awareness for the plight of the coffee growers and to help them produce coffee, the mainstay of the economy.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture Eng. Ahmed S. AlAiadh said that the Ministry has supported 30,000 coffee farmers to help boost coffee production in different regions of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including Jizan, Baha and Asir. Adding that It has also launched the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program which mainly aims to develop coffee cultivation.
AlAiadh pointed out that the Ministry is implementing the first phase of the program launched in cooperation with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to provide technical assistance to smallholder farmers in Jizan region. By implanting such program, the Ministry seeks to enhance the production of coffee crop in agricultural terraces by establishing 60 model coffee farms to boost production and food security in rural areas, optimize renewable water sources, enhance the productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers.
AlAiadh pointed out that the project included the cultivation of seedlings with modern scientific methods, and the application of advanced pest control and fertilization programs, in addition to the identification of modern irrigation systems, and the application of Good Agricultural Practices, and the use of a geographical indication (G1) for Jizan coffee crops.
He also highlighted several services provided by the Ministry to increase coffee production, including guiding farmers to adopt proper practices of cultivation, rainwater harvesting and rationalizing irrigation water, establishing water reservoirs, rehabilitating agricultural terraces, constructing retaining walls, in addition to extending drip irrigation networks, providing production inputs.
It is noteworthy that in the latest statistics on coffee production and the number of farms and trees in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the year 2019 (corresponding to 1440 AH), the GDP of Coffea Arabica reached 646 tons, and the number of coffee farms reached 847 farms containing 100,000 coffee trees, including 82,390 fruit trees.