RIYADH: Saudi Arabia ranks among the world’s most water-stressed nations, with renewable freshwater resources estimated at under 100 cubic meters per person annually, well below the threshold for absolute water scarcity.
Climate change is intensifying these pressures: 2024 was the hottest year on record in the Arab region, with temperatures rising well above historical averages and projected to continue increasing, accelerating evapotranspiration and climate variability.
Coupled with population growth beyond 35 million and Vision 2030 goals to expand local food production, demand on limited water resources is mounting — making water scarcity a long-term structural challenge for the sustainability of Saudi agriculture.
According to Roger Rabbat, PwC Middle East partner, Saudi Arabia is increasingly turning to smart and controlled-environment agricultural systems to overcome the constraints of its arid climate.
“The Kingdom has been promoting technologies such as hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, and high-tech greenhouses to reduce water use while maintaining high productivity,” he said.
Rabbat explained that hydroponic systems can reduce water consumption by up to 90 percent compared to traditional open-field farming, while vertical farming enables year-round production in limited spaces and significantly reduces reliance on pesticide.
“At the same time, advanced greenhouses equipped with sophisticated climate control, irrigation, and fertilization systems have achieved higher fruits and vegetables yields per square meter, using less water to produce,” he added.
Marielli Bou Harb, partner at Arthur D. Little, told Arab News that more than 90 percent of the Kingdom’s water needs are supplied by non-renewable groundwater and desalination, while under 2 percent of the land is arable, leaving agriculture inherently reliant on irrigation.
Precision systems, such as drip and smart sprinkler technologies supported by the Saudi Irrigation Organization in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization, are replacing traditional flood irrigation across key crop sectors, reducing water use by 20 to 60 percent while lowering pumping energy requirements.
“These systems are increasingly paired with digital tools, including soil-moisture sensors, satellite-based crop monitoring, and automated irrigation controls, enabling farmers to optimize water application in real time,” he said.
A practical illustration is the Al-Lith experimental farm, which combines sensor-driven drip and sprinkler irrigation, climate-controlled greenhouses, and the use of treated, diluted low-salinity seawater for irrigation, significantly reducing freshwater demand while testing scalable production models.
Controlled-environment agriculture is significantly improving water efficiency in Saudi Arabia, with hydroponics, greenhouses, and vertical farms delivering up to 95 percent water savings, enabling year-round production, and decoupling agricultural output from land and water constraints, Harb explained.
Private sector boosting food security
A key part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 reform program includes a focus on food security, environmental sustainability, and modern agricultural practices, supported by national strategies and innovation-driven initiatives.
PwC’s Rabbat described the Kingdom as “doubling down”on agricultural research and education, adding that Saudi Arabia is “accelerating the adoption of greenhouse solutions through targeted financing programs, with investment plans developed over the past few years amounting to several billion Saudi riyals.”
Platforms like Saudi FoodTech are accelerating agri-tech innovation by supporting startups and partnerships, reflecting how Vision 2030 is building a resilient, technology-driven, and sustainable agricultural sector suited to the Kingdom’s resource constraints, the PwC partner added.
Public–private partnerships are central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy to strengthen food security, with the government enabling the private sector to drive investment and innovation while retaining strategic oversight to reduce import dependence and build a more resilient food system.
The privatization of the flour milling sector, which transferred state-owned milling assets to private operators, is one example of this shift.
“This reform improved operational efficiency, attracted capital investment, enhanced capabilities, and strengthened supply chain resilience, while preserving government control over strategic reserves and price stability,” said Rabbat.
Sultan Moraished, group head of technology and corporate excellence at Red Sea Global, shed light on how Saudi Arabia is not just adapting to environmental constraints but rather redefining what agriculture looks like in arid climates.
He said that RSG is working to produce more with less water, adding: “In some cases, we’ve reduced water usage by over 80 percent while achieving consistent, high-quality output year-round.This is not incremental progress; it’s a structural transformation of the agricultural model.”
Moraished added that water scarcity remains the central challenge for agriculture in the Kingdom, but it is also driving innovation.
Advanced solutions such as hydroponics, climate-controlled systems, and AI-powered irrigation are enabling precise, efficient, and resilient farming with minimal waste.
With regards to the private sector, Moraished explained that it plays a critical role in translating Vision 2030 from ambition into execution.
“Food security is not just about supply — it’s about sustainability, resilience, and local capability. Companies like ours are accelerating this by investing in scalable technologies, building local expertise, and creating commercially viable models that can be replicated across the Kingdom,” he said.
“That said, scaling remains the next frontier. It requires continued collaboration between government, investors, and operators to align incentives, infrastructure, and regulation. The opportunity is enormous— but so is the responsibility to ensure that growth is both economically and environmentally sustainable,” Moraished said
