August 03, 2021 - من خلال المشرف
The National Center for Organic Agriculture in Saudi Arabia: more than 270,000 dunams of organic farming, and its production is 98 million kg
Official statistics issued by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in Saudi Arabia revealed that the area of organic agriculture amounted to 270,000 dunams, the volume of local agricultural production during a year for organic agriculture was 98 million kilos, and the value of the local food market amounted to more than 752 million riyals.
She also indicated that serious steps have been taken to support a more environmentally friendly agricultural system, as organic agriculture is among the ministry's priorities at the present time, and the fastest growing and highest demand sector in the global food industry.
From farm to an important center
For his part, the Director General of the National Center for Organic Agriculture, Engineer Walid Al-Bassam, said in his speech to Al-Arabiya.net that the center was initially established as a demonstration farm to implement some agricultural experiments, and set up various agricultural nurseries in 1958 AD, and then turned into a research station in 1966 AD. And due to the expansion of the agricultural area and government support, and the importance of scientific research in agricultural production, it was then transformed into an agricultural research center in Qassim in 1976 AD, after that this center was transformed into a center specialized in organic agriculture under the name of the Organic Agriculture Research Center by a ministerial decision in 2011.
Al-Bassam added that the name of the center was later changed to the National Center for Organic Agriculture by a decision of the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Mr. Abdul Rahman Al-Fadhli, to keep pace with the national tasks entrusted to it during the year 2020.
Development of organic farming
He also indicated that the center aims to develop organic agriculture through technical and advisory support for organic farmers, and to expand this type of agricultural land to secure healthy and sustainable food while preserving natural resources to achieve the Kingdom's 2030 vision.
In addition, he stressed that he is the only one in Saudi Arabia who specializes in organic production, both plant and animal, and specializes in biological control programs through breeding and multiplication of vital enemies and the use of plant extracts, in addition to the production of bumblebees used in fertilization processes inside protective homes.
As for the most important works and programs carried out by the center, he explained that they include conducting research, studies and applied observations on economic crops in the field of organic production, studying the best ways and means to improve organic production, preparing an annual plan for the technical and research work of the center, and focusing on organic production programs and inputs and benefiting from waste. Agricultural and animal husbandry to produce vermi fertilizer as a post, by raising vermicomposting worms and producing compost to raise soil fertility and restore its vital activity, using compost juice as a means of prevention and control, and re-propagating and rearing earth warm worms to improve soil properties and texture.
Center Sections
He also pointed out that among the center's tasks is the establishment of a biochar unit produced from tree residues after burning them in a special way, completely or partially isolated from oxygen, as one of the effective inputs in organic production, and the introduction of organic farming systems without hydroponic soil approved by the organic farming system in Saudi Arabia, using organic solutions. . The Kingdom is considered one of the first countries to use this method in organic agriculture and to pay attention to integrated management programs for agricultural pests, breeding and multiplication of vital enemies, production of bumblebees, conducting studies and research on its effectiveness, vital enemies and plant extracts, and evaluating their impact on disease pests.
Al-Bassam confirmed that the center implements many workshops and training courses to introduce the organic farming system at the regional level and abroad, and to participate in seminars, courses, field days and workshops organized by the Organic Agriculture Project Program with the Organic Agriculture Department according to joint programs, in addition to participating with the Ministry’s branches at the level of Saudi Arabia in the field of extension work, and many activities.
He also explained that it includes the following agricultural technical sections
1- Section of palms and fruits.
2- Department of vegetables and field crops.
3- Department of prevention and biological control
4- Department of plant nutrition and soil fertility.
5- Livestock Department.
6- Guidance and technical reports section.