World Food Day in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

This year’s World Food Day (WFD) celebration in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was successfully organized by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MoEWA), the Governorate of Jazan, and FAO.

The celebration was organized in the North Corniche of Jizan, Saudi Arabia, and brought together farmers, entrepreneurs, policy and decision-makers, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders to work hand-in-hand toward the transformation of agrifood systems. The World Food Day in Saudi Arabia was honoured under the patronage of His Highness, the Emir of Jazan, Muhammad bin Nasser, and launched in the presence of the Emirate’s Undersecretary, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Al-Saqr, and His Excellency Mr. Mohammed Al-Atif, the Director of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s branch in Jazan Region.

Opening the event, Mohammed Al-Atif highlighted that the celebration in Saudi Arabia aims to deepen community awareness and encourage interest in agricultural development and the preservation of natural resources. In his speech, Ayman Omer, Director of FAO Saudi Arabia’s Programme (OiC), emphasized the importance of transforming agrifood systems to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. He highlighted that the agricultural sector is a fundamental pillar of food security and the national economy in the Kingdom, underscored the significant role of smallholders, and valued the tremendous efforts by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in supporting farmers, encouraging investors and preserving natural resources, and promoting sustainable rural agricultural development. The event continued with displaying the recorded video of FAO Director-General reminding everyone of the high need to accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leaving no one behind.

The two-day event on 16-17 October 2022, was structured into workshops, three practical training sessions organized in demonstration farms, and an exhibition, all designed to highlight specific themes under the Four Betters: Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better life. The workshops discussed the role of agrotourism in rural transformation, the challenges and opportunities of the sesame value chain in Saudi Arabia, the crucial integration of sustainable food production with the environment, and examples of FAO work on the Four Betters in the Kingdom. Three interactive training sessions were simultaneously conducted at three local demonstration farms displaying and discussing technologies and good practices in livestock management, beekeeping, and coffee production.

The WFD exhibition showed the innovative work of twenty organizations representing government’s flagship programmes (including the Sustainable Rural Agriculture Development – Saudi REEF), public funds, private sector, UN agencies, agriculture cooperatives, research centres, universities, and civil society organizations. The two-day event was also enlivened by some local and authentic Saudi cultural dances performed by local youth.  Throughout the event, a youth cooperative namely “Moeen Volunteer Association for Community Service in Jazan” supported the success of this memorable event.