How Has Food Security in Saudi Arabia Evolved Since the Launch of “Vision 2030”?
Food security is one of the priorities of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which is set to enter its third and final phase at the end of this year. A 2024 report monitoring the performance of Vision 2030 indicators highlighted the increase in the agricultural sector's contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), rising from 109 billion riyals in 2023 to 114 billion riyals in 2024.

The report, issued recently to coincide with the anniversary of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's launch of the Vision on April 25, 2016, also noted that loans disbursed by the Agricultural Development Fund have increased by 5 billion riyals from 2018 to 2024, marking a 54% growth. Additionally, aquaculture production grew from 40,000 tons in 2016 to 246,000 tons in 2024.
Local production of various crops and agricultural products has also increased, including vegetables, fruits, milk, grains, poultry meat, eggs, red meat, fish, and honey, according to the report.
Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef, in remarks at the Saudi Statistics Forum, explained that there are three main groups within the “National Industrial Strategy,” the first of which includes industries tied to national security. These cover food security, pharmaceutical security, water security, and military industries, all aimed at building a local industrial base capable of withstanding global challenges, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, three of the largest publicly listed Saudi companies in the food production sector—Almarai, Tanmiah Food Company, and the National Agricultural Development Company (NADEC)—plan to invest around 24.5 billion riyals in the coming years. This is particularly significant for Saudi Arabia, as it supports a greater role for the private sector in promoting food security and achieving self-sufficiency in key sectors.
Bandar Al-Juaid, a professor of economic media at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, noted in an interview with Asharq the progress Saudi Arabia has made in food security, including a leap in poultry self-sufficiency, which has now reached around 80%.
Al-Juaid stated that “this leap wasn’t just achieved thanks to funding or investor interest, but through the adoption of new technologies and learning from global companies’ experiences.”
Saudi Arabia has managed to nearly double its poultry production over the past decade. Food is a key pillar of Vision 2030, with at least 17 billion riyals ($4.5 billion) allocated to the poultry sector alone. The Kingdom is also working to expand farms for fruits, vegetables, and fish, while building strategic food reserves to prepare for future crises.
The country has also expanded abroad by investing in poultry producers such as Brazil’s BRF and Ukraine’s MHP. In addition, Saudi Arabia operates farms in Arizona and California and is pursuing the acquisition of the agri-business unit of Singapore-based Olam Group.
Tanmiah Food Company earlier announced a partnership with the construction arm of the Chengdu Institute of Design and Research in China to establish 100 broiler chicken farms across the Kingdom.
In January, the Kingdom launched a livestock city valued at 9 billion riyals, expected to reach full production capacity within four years. According to Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, Chairman of the Hafar Al-Batin Cooperative Association for Livestock, the facility is expected to contribute 13% of Saudi Arabia’s food security.
Source: asharqbusiness.com