Saudi Arabia is boosting the agriculture sector as it builds a stable and reliable food security infrastructure. The government and its key private and public entities have invested billions of dollars over the past decade to facilitate projects aimed at boosting agricultural production and food manufacturing, and promote production efficiency in the poultry, meat and veterinary services sectors.

Latest data from the General Authority of Statistics (GASTAT) shows the kingdom has raised its food security in virtually every major food category. self-sufficiency in fish, for example, had risen to 52% in 2024, latest available data shows, compared to 48% the year before. Rice (52.1%), milk (70.3%), and poultry meat (72%) also saw favourable growth rates in a sign of rapid expansion in the domes tic food system. Self-sufficiency ratios of shrimp reached 149%, followed by 131% for dairy products, and 103% for table eggs. Dates, a product in which Saudi Arabia leads the world in exports, enjoyed a self-sufficiency rate of 121%,  GASTAT noted.

The Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment Company (SALIC) is also playing a role in transforming the country’s food and agriculture sector through strategic investments that promote food sustainability, supply sources diversity, and integration of the country’s food system with global markets. Over the past six years, SALIC has achieved significant financial milestones, with its managed assets increasing fivefold to exceed SAR 27 billion, reflecting an average annual profit growth rate of 33%. Through its international portfolio, SALIC has access to over 20 million tonnes of strategic commodities, enhancing its capacity to respond swiftly to emergencies.

In addition, the kingdom is also deploying climate-smart and other innovativetechnologies to ensure that its food products are grown in a sustainable way, using robust water-efficiency techniques.