Overview
• Capacity-building in the field of conducting surveys and producing maps;
• Producing nation-wide maps for lands utilization, to enforce the Royal Decree no. 44978 dated 21-8-2012;
• Producing a general map for the lands and natural resources in the domain of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA);
• Producing and updating maps of the agricultural lands and natural resources and converting them to formats that match the geographical information systems;
• Building a comprehensive information system for agricultural lands (Ag – lis).
• Preparing the logical design of Lands Information system and displaying the design in Unified Modeling Language (UML);
• Preparing the physical design of the system;
• Collecting different required information on the national level;
• Drawing a firm conversion plan for spatial data, available at MEWA or its branches, to the database of the new system;
• Choosing the design by creating a prototype to ensure safety and integration of previous work based on a sample data, as this step will guarantee system readiness;
• Entering actual collected data, operating system and building the suitable applications.
• Conducting data conversion, by digitizing MEWA paper documents;
• Joining the National Committee for Geographical Information Systems formed by the Royal Decree no. 388 on 6-12-2010;
• Coordinating with the government bodies and authorities related to surveys and maps;
• Determining suitable means for connecting the general departments concerned with the agricultural affairs to the new MEWA geographical information system (GIS), so that they get to utilize the data of the system, besides updating the system with the information available at these departments; and
• Effectively participating in documenting agricultural holdings through the registration system to curb encroachment on agricultural land.
Tasks and Responsibilities
• In line with the tasks hierarchy system in the agricultural sector referred to in clause (3-3), tasks and responsibilities of activities of surveys and maps in different organizational levels were distributed as follows:
• Central Level: The General Department of Survey and Maps in the Central Authority is responsible for producing foundation maps, providing aerial images and establishing spatial information and data system for agricultural lands and natural resources nation-wide. It's also responsible for developing policies, programs and plans needed to achieve this target, as well as organizing, following-up, evaluating and improving survey works in the agricultural sector to meet the agricultural development requirements.
• Regional Level: Survey divisions in the general departments of agricultural affairs in different regions are responsible for designating and surveying barren lands and agricultural development projects. They are also responsible for supervising and following up surveys, creating database of lands and agricultural resources data on the regional levels, through merging lands databases in different branches of the agricultural authorities, in coordination with competent authorities in MEWA General Department of Survey and Maps and the relevant regional authorities.
As for surveys and maps in agricultural departments, the advisory board suggests reconsidering their importance because they are not related to a definite spatial domain that gives them jurisdiction over lands and natural resources.
• Local Level: Survey units in local branches undertake designating and surveying agricultural lands and preparing survey maps and documenting them in spatial databases according to the regulating criteria and specifications.
• Central Authority: In addition to the above mentioned tasks and responsibilities, objectives of the survey sector may be identified as follows:
Mission: Purpose and Scope of Work
Providing survey services and producing high-quality and accurate maps and spatial information systems for the agricultural sector all over KSA. This will be achieved through reliance on national qualified professionals, as part of the effective cooperation with all national authorities to contribute to sustainable agricultural development.
Vision: Future Outlook
Marking out and surveying agricultural lands and natural resources according to the best and latest international practices, providing the required database for establishing an information system for agricultural lands; and continuously improving the quality and accuracy of the provided survey services.
Values and Principles
Providing accurate and reliable survey services and spatial data, according to the national criteria that ensure ongoing improvement.
Objectives:
• Conducting comprehensive surveys of agricultural lands in the Kingdom and carrying out all designation, documentation and mapping of these lands;
• Producing maps for agricultural lands, natural resources, soil and lands utilization, as well as all maps required by the agricultural sector;
• Creating and sustaining a database of agricultural lands as a starting point for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI);
• Setting criteria and technical specifications of survey work and producing maps, geographical information and lands information required by the agricultural sector;
• Preparing and approving agricultural plans and supervising their execution;
• Developing human resources to meet the needs of the agricultural sector in survey, maps production and information fields;
• Determining, organizing, controlling and monitoring surveys, maps production and geographical and lands information collection, in accordance with the national conditions and requirements;
• Creating the needed spatial databases to support and maintain the main functions of the agricultural sector;
• Carrying out aerial survey and imaging of agricultural lands and natural resources;
• Increasing awareness in the agricultural sector in the fields of survey, maps production, geographical information and the relevant fields and knowledge;
• Determining and establishing strategic partnerships that serve the objectives and requirements of survey and maps in the agricultural sector;
• Developing organizational and technical capacities through administrative leadership seeking distinguished performance;
• Pursuing modern technologies in surveys and maps and using them in the agricultural work; and
• Coordinating with all public and private authorities to exchange information and unify criteria and bases.