“Our strong bond with the land weaves us together, creating timeless connections that breathes life into our past, present and future,” - Sidr Al-Jawf Community

Today, Al-Adhraa National Park stands as a symbol of resilience and community spirit, where individuals are united by their love for the land and engaged in a remarkable journey of restoration and growth. Situated near desert terrain, this agricultural centre has a deep connection with the arid landscape, influencing both recreational activities and a sense of identity among villagers. 

Observing the gradual decline of vegetation due to desertification, in 2017, Al-Adhraa’s young, dedicated group had successfully rehabilitated and replanted the area with its original natural and indigenous plant life through joint efforts with volunteers and the local municipality in Al-Adhraa. Unfortunately, the project was unsustainable due to insufficient support, expertise, and a lack of technical knowledge in managing such endeavors.

“We never gave up!  Drawing lessons from past setbacks, we formed a volunteer environmental team and set up the "Al-Adhraa National Park" in a new location closer to the village” said one of the communities in Al-Adhraa known as "Sidr Al-Jawf." 

Inspired by the dedication of the Al-Adhraa community in combatting desertification and revitalizing the vegetation in their region, their commitment and hard work did not go unnoticed. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) collaborated on the project “Strengthening Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s capacity to implement its Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Programme, (UTF/SAU/051/SAU)” to support the Al-Adhraa community in their transformative journey. By offering expertise, technical guidance and a distance training course, FAO and NCVC strong collaboration significantly improved the efficiency of work in the Al-Adhraa National Park.

“The good practices shared by FAO and NCVC experts provided me and my friends with opportunities to strengthen our skills, knowledge and awareness in combatting desertification, sand encroachment, and promoting sustainable vegetation development in Al-Adhraa,” expressed a leader of the Al-Adhraa community. “I am proud to be part of the team as I gained valuable insights and experiences from diverse international and local experts.”  The community shared that the significant increase in awareness within the "Sidr Al-Jawf" association led them to officially register the “Sidr Al-Jawf Association” to the “Sidr Wild Trees Association” with the status of a National Center for the Non-Profit Sector.

“I was amazed by the experiences shared by the Chinese” said one of the community members during their study trip to China, where they were selected to be part of a delegation exploring Chinese expertise in combating desertification and reducing sand encroachment jointly organized by FAO and NCVC. Reflecting on the trip, a community member shared, “The visit to China provided me and my friends with a wealth of knowledge and inspiration.” The participants were inspired and exposed to a variety of practices rooted in scientific research and successful on-the-ground experiments.

With the support of FAO, the visit to China instilled great hope and motivation in the community to continue in their efforts in combatting desertification in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.