3 September 2010, Cairo/Rome - King  Abdullah Bin Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia has been awarded FAO's Agricola Medal in  recognition of his support for improving world food security as well as for his contribution to agricultural development in Saudi Arabia over the last decade.

FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf conferred the medal upon King Abdullah during a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Mecca today, noting that as a result of the King's consistent commitment to achieving sustainable food security Saudi Arabia witnessed a remarkable 4.5 percent growth rate in agricultural output earlier this decade.

Diouf also noted that the King's initiatives related to agricultural investment outside his country would bring benefits for both the Saudi economy as well as for the welfare of developing countries where such initiatives are put into action.   

FAO's Director-General paid tribute to the generous contributions made by the King in support of the Organization's efforts to tackle world hunger

FAO's Regional Representative for the Near East, Saad Al Otaibi said that the number of FAO technical cooperation projects in Saudi Arabia increased during King Abdalla's rule, to $62 million.

The current bilateral technical cooperation program which has contributed to the  development of Saudi Arabia's national food and agricultural sectors dates back over half a century. However, FAO will continue to offer technical expertise to Saudi Arabia as long as it is required, Al Otaibi added.