Environment minister thanks leadership for extending rural development program to 2032

Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadley expressed his gratitude to King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister, following the Cabinet’s decision to extend the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program until the end of 2032, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) in Riyadh on October 20, 2026 (9 Jumada I 1448 AH).

The minister voiced his pride in the leadership’s confidence, affirming continued efforts to ensure the program’s ongoing success in developing and advancing rural areas across the Kingdom.

More than 92,000 beneficiaries, including small-scale farmers and productive families, have taken advantage of the program’s projects and initiatives. The “Riyf Saudi” program has provided opportunities to improve the incomes of small farmers and productive families.

Eight key agricultural sectors

The program operates across eight main agricultural sectors:

• Production, processing, and marketing of Saudi coffee
• Enhancing the capacities of small livestock breeders
• Beekeeping and honey production
• Cultivation of rain-fed crops
• Supporting small-scale fishermen and fish farmers
• Developing value-added products from small holdings
• Expanding the cultivation of aromatic plants
• Fruit production and processing

Economic impact

According to the report, the program has contributed to the growth of the agricultural sector in rural Saudi Arabia by diversifying the agricultural production base, achieving food security and self-sufficiency in various crops, and improving the incomes and living standards of small farmers while creating job opportunities.

The total market value of the program’s eight sectors exceeded 5.6 billion riyals (SAR) in 2025, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.