Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen A. AlFadley has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), aiming to enhance mutual efforts in developing saline agriculture research and production systems, environmental protection, sustainable resource management, and exchange of expertise.
“The MoU includes making use of ICBA’s expertise in capacity development, and agricultural and environmental research, especially in the field of vegetation development, combating desertification, and climate change adaptation,” the ministry explained. “It also includes training programs for Saudi technicians and farmers, in addition to localizing, implementing and developing saline agriculture research and production systems for both crops and forestation, which contributes to environmental and agricultural integration.”
The memo also stressed the need to prepare proposals for the ministry’s projects involving plant production, drought control systems, development of promising local crop and forestation varieties, conservation of plant genetic assets, and localization and improvement of crops and forestation in accordance with Saudi environmental requirements.
The ministry also emphasized cooperation to implement projects, programs and technologies that achieve sustainable environmental and agricultural development, preservation of water resources, preparation of relevant studies, holding scientific workshops and conferences, and supporting the ministry's strategies and programs under Saudi Vision 2030.