newseditor Smart agriculture has become a game-changer in the agricultural industry. It has completely transformed conventional farming methods by incorporating cutting-edge technologies. Saudi Arabia (KSA), which is the largest economy in the Arab world, keeps initiating numerous efforts toward smart farming. This is particularly significant because KSA relies on imports to fulfill approximately 70% of its food security requirements. Due to its unique geographical terrain, the Kingdom possesses immense potential for using controlled environments in agricultural technologies and capitalizing on innovative solutions. The Kingdom aspires to establish smart farms that bring fresh produce to the markets while using significantly less water than conventional farming methods. Read on to learn more details on how the Kingdom will achieve this.
Government Initiatives and Incentives for Smart Farming
KSA is unwavering in its ambition to revolutionize agriculture by incorporating the principles of science and technology as part of its extensive 2030 Vision. With the help of devices, tools, sensors, and information technology, the goal is to make farming practices more profitable, efficient, safe, and good for the environment.
As part of its dedication to sustainability, the Kingdom launched the Smarter Climate Farmers Challenge with the Uplink platform of the World Economic Forum. The project finds and supports people who have developed climate-smart agriculture solutions. This shows that the Kingdom commits to using eco-friendly methods.
The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture signed three agreements that use artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies to help with sustainable production and lower the carbon footprint. With these agreements, they hope to use AI technologies in “smart farms” through new lighting solutions. Intel Corporation KSA and Tata Consultancy Services will work together on AI, IoT, big data analysis, augmented reality, and remote sensing. Finally, Tata Consultancy Services will help improve agriculture, make food production more sustainable, and detect pests and diseases. The four-year digital transformation plan of the ministry and KSA’s Vision 2030 align with these projects. Early in 2022, KSA stated that Tamimi Markets, Mitsui & Co., and Zero SRL would work together. The partnership’s goal is to build vertical smart farms in the Al Kharj area to show how committed the Kingdom is to new ways of farming.
One example of the main trend in Saudi’s smart farming efforts is the use of solar power to desalinate water. This helps save more water and makes farms and food production more efficient. By using solar energy, farming groups can get clean water for hydroponic greenhouses, traditional irrigation, and urban farms. This helps sustainably handle resources.
Through these projects and partnerships, the Kingdom is changing its agricultural sector, embracing technology, sustainability, and creativity to ensure a prosperous and eco-friendly future.
Conclusion
Smart agriculture is changing how people farm in Saudi Arabia, giving farmers the tools they need to handle problems and increase output in an eco-friendly way. The Kingdom aims to make a major change in food production that will help fight climate change and ensure agriculture has a sustainable future. It will do this by prioritizing knowledge, resource efficiency, inclusive technology, and innovative financing.
