RIYADH: The Shoura Council called on the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) to adopt initiatives aimed at identifying and encouraging women who wish to enter the field of industrial investment and provide financial support and advice to them.
This came on Tuesday during the work of the Council’s 53rd ordinary session of the first year of the seventh session held under the chairmanship of the president of the council, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh.
In its resolution, the council called on the SIDF to expand the provision of loans to invest in the fields of logistics services, and to develop criteria and indicators to measure the developmental impact of its activities.
The council has also approved a number of amendments to the Civil Service Law issued by Royal Decree No. (49) dated 10/7/97 AH, which included amendments to the formation and regulation of the law.
The assistant speaker of the council, Yahya bin Abdullah Al-Samaan, revealed that the council discussed the report of the Committee on Transport, Communications and Information Technology regarding the annual report of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) for the fiscal year 1436/1437 AH.
In its recommendations to the council, the committee called on the GACA to oblige airlines to provide the necessary seat capacity for internal passengers and to address the high internal ticket prices.
The committee has also asked the GACA to complete the self-service system for all airports, and to oblige airlines to develop effective mechanisms to address the problems of customers and notify them within a maximum of fifteen days of filing the complaint.
The council then discussed the report of the Hajj, Housing and Services Committee on the annual report of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for the fiscal year 1436/1437 AH.
In its recommendations to the council, the committee called on the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to discuss with the appropriate authorities the expansion of the restrooms assigned for pilgrims in places considered by the ministry. The ministry was also asked to study the possibility of raising the capacity of the tents in coordination with the authorities.
Saudi Shoura Council calls on SIDF to encourage women to enter field of industrial investment
Saudi Shoura Council calls on SIDF to encourage women to enter field of industrial investment
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National program identifies 165 native plants for afforestation efforts in Asir
- The survey is part of broader plans focused on restoring degraded land, using native vegetation
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s National Afforestation Program has identified more than 165 species of native plants suitable for afforestation in the Asir region, highlighting the ecological diversity of one of the Kingdom’s most environmentally varied areas, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The findings form part of broader national efforts to expand vegetation cover, address land degradation, and support sustainability goals linked to the Saudi Green Initiative and Vision 2030.
According to the program, the identified species are distributed across a wide range of natural environments in Asir, including mountainous terrain, highlands, slopes, valleys, plains, rocky landscapes, and coastal areas stretching from the Red Sea to Tihama.
The species belong to numerous plant families, including Fabaceae, Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, Capparaceae, Ebenaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Myrtaceae, Oleaceae, and Primulaceae, among others.
Plants suitable for afforestation range from large and small trees to perennial and annual shrubs, herbs, succulents, bulbs, and climbing plants.
Among the most notable species identified are the grey mangrove, mastic tree, mooring or ben tree, juniper, sycamore fig, wild olive, henna, wild jasmine, hawthorn, and arak.
The Saudi Arabian Botanical Society described the announcement as an important step in protecting plant diversity and strengthening the ecosystem conservation in the Kingdom.
Munirah bin Hamad Al-Hazani, founder and president of the society, said that prioritizing native species is central to sustainable afforestation.
“Focusing on the cultivation of native plants adapted to diverse environments forms the cornerstone of sustainable afforestation projects, as it plays a pivotal role in enhancing vegetation cover, combating land degradation, and conserving natural and financial resources,” she told Arab News.
Al-Hazani added that long-term success depends on cooperation between government bodies and the nonprofit sector, alongside community involvement and environmental awareness programs.
The National Afforestation Program has increasingly emphasized community participation, working with government agencies, private companies, and nonprofit organizations to support planting initiatives and environmental education. Its approach includes promoting volunteerism and discouraging harmful environmental practices, while focusing on the use of native plants adapted to local conditions.
Parallel efforts are underway in other regions of the Kingdom to support vegetation restoration through research and infrastructure development. In Jouf, often referred to as the Kingdom’s food basket, the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has established a Central Nursery and a Wild Seeds Research and Production Station to address the growing demand for reliable sources of native seeds and seedlings.
The project was launched in 2023 under the directive of Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, the minister of interior and chairman of the authority’s board of directors.
Since then, the facilities has become a key component of vegetation restoration efforts within the reserve.
The authority has focused on building operational capacity by recruiting and training specialists to manage cultivation and research activities. The research and production station includes 14 mother-seed production fields containing over 400,000 trees and shrubs.
Planting began in late 2024, with more than 30 native plant species represented, selected for their role in the reserve’s natural ecosystem.
The facility also includes two seed storage units with a combined capacity of 3,000 kilograms. Seeds are collected annually from multiple sites within the reserve and used for seedling production habitat rehabilitation.
The Central Nursery spans 6,000 square meters and includes 30 greenhouses spanning 1,500 square meters, as well as two shade houses used during summer months. A plant hardening facility, designed to prepare seedlings for natural environmental conditions, covers 10,000 square meters and is divided into seven sections. The nursery’s annual production capacity reaches 1.5 million seedlings, representing more than 15 native plant species.
Together, these initiatives underscore the growing role of native plant research and propagation in Saudi Arabia’s afforestation strategy, particularly as the Kingdom works to balance environmental restoration with long-term sustainability goals.
