Deal signed to establish agro research center at KSU
Posted by Zawya
11 February 2010


RIYADH: The Ministry of Agriculture and the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh have signed a SR187 million agreement to establish a Sustainable Agriculture Development and Research Center in Riyadh.

The agreement was signed by Agriculture Minister Fahad Balghunaim and Abdullah Al-Othman, rector of the King Saud University in Riyadh, on Wednesday.

"The priority of the Ministry of Agriculture is to achieve sustainable agricultural development with the conservation of natural resources, particularly water," said Balghunaim, adding that he hopes that the project would help farmers as well as consumers get the best out of new technology.

The proposed research, the minister said, would explore new methods of conserving water in agriculture, something that would eventually help contribute to the Kingdom's economic development. King Saud University will offer its expertise in research and contact relevant international organizations to help with research.

Under the agreement, the center, along with its laboratory, will be located in the Techno Valley inside the KSU campus. Besides the agreed SR187 million, the cost of the establishment of the laboratory will be financed by Al-Bayroni, a Jubail-based fertilizer company, which is a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation.

Describing the agreement as a scientific cooperation between the two establishments to conduct research on how best agricultural work could be developed using modern technology, Al-Othman said the main objective of the project is to raise efficiency in the use of the Kingdom's natural resources and to develop the country's economic goals.

He added that the private and public sectors would be asked to contribute to the research program. "We will seek the cooperation of local as well as foreign expertise to carry out our research successfully," he said.

The government this year allocated SR46.0 ($12.3) billion for the water, agriculture and infrastructure sectors -- an increase of 30 percent over the previous year.

Appropriations for new projects include enhancing water sources, dams and wells, as well as improving water and sewage networks. There are also allocations for new water desalination plants and the upgrading of existing ones. Moreover, these appropriations include new projects, which will be undertaken in the two industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu to attract domestic and foreign investments.

By Mohammad Rasooldeen

© Arab News 2010

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