His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture (Estidamah), Eng. Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley, inspected the Experimental Farm Project in Al-Lith Governorate, which is being implemented by Estidamah. The visit comes as part of ongoing efforts to monitor applied research projects aimed at optimizing water resource use and enhancing the sustainability of agricultural production.
During the visit, His Excellency was briefed on the project’s components and implementation phases, which aim to assess the feasibility of using low-salinity seawater blended with other water sources to irrigate selected crops on an experimental scale. This approach contributes to supporting water and food security and improving water-use efficiency in the agricultural sector.
The Director General of Estidamah, Dr. Khalid bin Marshoud Al-Rohily, explained that the project is one of the Center’s flagship applied research initiatives. It seeks to develop practical solutions for utilizing non-conventional water resources in agriculture, enhance irrigation system efficiency, and improve crop productivity and quality, in line with the Kingdom’s direction toward sustainable agriculture and efficient water resource management.
In its first phase, the project includes preparing agricultural fields, establishing modern irrigation networks over an area of three (3) hectares, and conducting research trials on a variety of field crops, vegetables, and fruits using advanced irrigation systems. These include drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and subsurface irrigation, in addition to employing smart sensing and control technologies to improve irrigation efficiency and performance.
It is worth noting that the Experimental Farm Project covers a total area of ten (10) hectares and includes the completion of greenhouse facilities, open fields, and integrated research and administrative facilities, thereby strengthening the Center’s role in developing and localizing modern agricultural technologies.