Saudi Arabia at a glance

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an Arab Islamic monarchy, is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, with a population of approximately 34 million. Located at a strategic crossroads linking Europe, Africa, and Asia, it features diverse landscapes—including vast deserts, mountain ranges, and extensive coastlines—spread across 13 administrative regions. The climate is predominantly arid, with average annual rainfall below 100 mm. Vegetation and wildlife are concentrated in select regions, making natural resources particularly valuable. Only about 2.4 percent of the land is arable, while rangelands and forests cover approximately 70 percent and 1.4 percent of the land area, respectively.

Since 2016, Saudi Arabia has been implementing Vision 2030, a comprehensive reform agenda focused on transforming the national economy away from oil dependency. Built around three pillars—a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation—Vision 2030 seeks to diversify the economy, stimulate private sector development, and reduce unemployment, especially among young people and women.

Agriculture remains a fundamental pillar of the Saudi economy and a key driver of balanced regional development. It contributes about 4.2 percent to non-oil GDP, supplies around 30 percent of the country's food demand, and employs approximately 6.1 percent of the labor force. Beyond enhancing food and nutrition security, the sector supports rural livelihoods, reduces poverty, creates jobs, and stimulates broader economic growth. However, water scarcity poses a significant challenge, due to limited renewable water resources, low rainfall, and high evaporation rates. As a result, Saudi Arabia relies heavily on non-renewable groundwater, desalinated seawater, and treated wastewater for agricultural and other uses.

Under Vision 2030, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA) leads an integrated agrifood policy framework that aligns agriculture, water management, environmental protection, and food security. National strategies—such as the National Agricultural Strategy, National Food Security Strategy, National Water Strategy, and National Environment Strategy—focus on improving productivity, sustainability, resilience, and nutrition outcomes. The Saudi Green Initiative further reinforces these goals by promoting ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation. The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Programme (Reef) exemplifies this holistic approach by incentivizing smallholder farmers and enhancing productivity in crop and livestock sectors.

Today, Saudi Arabia is a stable, modern state of significant cultural and geopolitical influence, advancing rapid social and economic transformation through ambitious reforms. As a long-term partner, FAO continues to support the Kingdom by providing knowledge, technical assistance, and innovation to strengthen sustainable development and food security.