Saudi Arabia’s 60-Year Battle for Food Security
Saudi Arabia's 60-Year Battle for Food Security Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington
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Food Security in Saudi Arabia: Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
For over half a century, food security has been a strategic issue for Saudi Arabia. More recently, the 2008 food price crisis and the 2020 food supply disruptions gave Saudi decision makers a taste of what the future might look like in a climate-changing world, as two of the most salient issues will be access to drinking water and food – essential resources the kingdom sorely lacks. With 90% of its land unfit for agriculture and 70% of its water coming from desalination plants, water and food security can look like an unwinnable battle for Saudi Arabia.
Yet, over the past few years, with billions of government dollars invested into its agricultural sector, Saudi Arabia has seen an increase in food production, reaching self-sufficiency in various food products. Through a series of technological innovations, improved water management, and foreign land-buying programs, a goal that even 15 years ago seemed like an unreasonable dream, is suddenly becoming feasible.
A Long History of State-Led Agricultural Programs
Agricultural development programs in Saudi Arabia have not always been effective, and the country’s long history of state-led agricultural policies showed policy planners the limits of public subsidies in creating a viable path to food production.
From 1970 to the early 2000s, the agricultural sector’s transformation from small-scale, subsistence-based farms to large-scale, industrialized farms ended up costing more than it was worth: It dried up critical nonrenewable groundwater reserves and consumed massive state resources in the form of land distribution, subsidies, and loans.
The objective of the first development plan (1970-74) was to increase agricultural output by 27% over five years. The establishment of large farms, the importation of farming technology, and the mechanization of a factory-style farming industry brought about the expected results. By the 1980s, Saudi Arabia had become the fifth-largest wheat producer in the world.
Saudi Arabia’s Wheat Production, in Metric Tons and Percentage Growth, 1960-2022
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
- Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
- Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors.
- Indicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
- Indicator 12.3.1: Global food loss index
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
Analysis
1. The SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
2. Specific targets under those SDGs identified based on the article’s content are:
– Target 2.1: Ending hunger and ensuring access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
– Target 6.4: Increasing water-use efficiency and addressing water scarcity.
– Target 8.2: Achieving higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation.
– Target 12.3: Halving per capita global food waste and reducing food losses along production and supply chains.
– Target 13.1: Strengthening resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.
3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:
– Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment.
– Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity.
– Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time.
– Indicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person.
– Indicator 12.3.1: Global food loss index.
– Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters.
4. Table:
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|—————————|———————————————————————————————————————————|——————————-|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. | Indicator 2.1.1: Prevalence of undernourishment
Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity. | Indicator 6.4.1: Change in water-use efficiency over time |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labor-intensive sectors. | Indicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.3: By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. | Indicator 12.3.1: Global food loss index |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. | Indicator 13.1.1: Number of deaths, missing persons, and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population |
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Fuente: agsiw.org
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