Agricultural Mechanization and Food Security in Saudi Arabia

Agricultural mechanization has evolved from the use of hand toolsHand tools to draft animalsDraft animals, to motorized machineryMotorized machinery, to digital equipmentDigital equipment, and finally to robotsRobots using artificial intelligence. These improvements enhance productivityProductivity and improve the management of crops, livestockLivestock, aquacultureAquaculture, and forestry. This, in turn, leads to better working environmentsEnvironment, increased income, reduced labor-intensive work, and the creation of new ruralRural business opportunities. The global population is growing rapidly and is projected to reach 8.5 billion individuals by 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050. This poses a significant challenge for the agri-food industry, which must find ways to feedFeed more people. Additionally, the loss of agricultural land due to urbanizationUrbanization and industrialization further emphasizes the need for efficient production methods Precision agricultureAgriculture has the potential to be the solution. It is a management practice concerned with the precise application of agricultural inputsAgricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, water, pesticides, and energy, with the ultimate objective of reducing the costs of such inputs, increase yieldYield, improve returns, and mitigate the environmentalEnvironmental risksRisk of farming. Practicing of PA includes collection of data such as soil, crop and yield data, then processing them through computer models for the generation of prescription maps and finally precise application of the agricultural inputsAgricultural inputs through variable rate application devicesVariable rate application devices installed in the agricultural implements. Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the gulf region with a total area of about 2.3 million km2 and a total populationPopulation exceeding 28 million. The cultivable land in Saudi Arabia accounts for 1.6% of its total area resulting in 0.11 ha per capita arable landArable land that is globally among the lowest ones. Saudi Arabia has been classified as “water stressedWater stress” country, and sever water scarcityWater scarcity is expected by the year 2050. The un-sustainable agricultural activitiesAgricultural activities resulted in a rapid depletionDepletion of the non-replenish aquifers of the country. This situation necessitates changing the current farming practicesFarming practices so as to challenge food insecurityFood insecurity problems. To enhance its agricultural production to ensure food security Saudi Arabia needs to adopt the precision agriculturePrecision agriculture approach.