JEDDAH: Bisha province is a rich oasis in the southwest of Saudi Arabia that has always been known for its fertile land. It joins between the valleys coming from the high mountains, called Palm Bisha, Green Bisha and Black Bisha, where another 45 sub-valleys also meet.
With the recent agricultural reawakening in Saudi Arabia, the General Directorate of Agriculture has started to rehabilitate the agricultural sector with expert farmers. It is protecting the date palm from various diseases, namely the red palm weevil and others.
The director of the Ministry of Environment in the province of Bisha, Salem Al-Qarni, said palm trees in the province are free of all pesticides and are fully organic, stressing that cooperation with the farmers and addressing all pests was one of the most important factors for the safety and productivity of the palms. He noted that Bisha is famous for the diversity of its trees spreading along the edges of its valleys.
Bisha relies on the rainwater falling on the western and southern mountains, as well as on the city’s highlands. Because of the importance of different sources of water, the Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Water worked on creating four dams to ensure the permanent existence of water to guarantee the stability of the agricultural sector.
Bisha provides the local markets with many products such as dates, citrus products and honey. However, it lacks proper marketing for external exportation, which contributes to the significant decline of the products’ value.
Within the framework of the Economic Forum for Dates in Bisha, the province worked with the partnership of Bisha University, the National Center for Palm and Dates, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry on promoting date production to ensure a proper market value that supports the farmer and enhances the resources.
The Sufri product is known to be the best produced locally and is in high demand from many companies. The statistics center at the Sufri Bisha festival recorded that more than 1.9 million palm trees are highly productive in Bisha, producing around 40 percent of exported dates from the KSA to the world.
1.9 million Sufri palm trees in Bisha enhance economic resources
1.9 million Sufri palm trees in Bisha enhance economic resources
Saudi Arabia led green building performance regionally in 2025: Report
- Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space
- Results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia led the region in sustainable building performance and environmental impact in 2025, according to the Saaf index developed by the Saudi Green Building Forum.
Saudi Arabia achieved the highest regional score of 76.31 points and certified more than 1.03 million sq. meters of sustainable building space, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
These results reflect measurable efficiency gains across 6,662 projects completed since 2010, marking a new regional benchmark for measurable sustainability progress and institutional excellence.
The achievement underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in advancing sustainable construction across the Middle East and supports the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives for cleaner growth, resource efficiency and climate resilience through data‑driven environmental performance.
Faisal Al‑Fadl, secretary‑general of SGBF, said that 2025 represented a major turning point toward a measurable, institutional sustainability strategy that united policy, technology and practice.
He added that the approach extended beyond renewable energy, clean water and eco‑friendly materials to embed sustainability in economic planning and public development programs, made possible through integrated efforts with regional governments and public institutions.
The Saaf index provides a specialized regional framework for measuring efficiency and resilience through the Sufficiency and Resilience Composite Index, or SCI, enabling precise performance assessments.
Findings show that the sector has evolved into a cohesive strategy integrating project delivery, professional capacity building, market innovation and climate action.
According to the SGBF review, Saudi Arabia’s achievements reflect its ability to combine quality implementation, institutional maturity and scale.
Environmentally, green building projects achieved an estimated 62,800 tonnes of carbon‑equivalent annual reduction and earned 29 professional recognitions, reinforcing growing international acknowledgment of Saudi leadership in sustainability.
The data also underscore SGBF’s role as a professional partner in advancing methodologies, applications and impact measurement within non‑governmental frameworks that link policy and practical execution.
More than 7,300 professionals across 22 Arab countries engaged with the Saaf platform in 2025, alongside numerous business‑driven initiatives expanding the region’s sustainable‑development footprint.
Al‑Fadl said that the period from 2025 to 2026 would act as a bridge toward Vision 2030, strengthening a model in which sustainable buildings were managed by impact, measured through indicators and implemented via lasting partnerships.
SGBF serves as the Kingdom’s leading platform for advancing sustainable construction and green design. It unites experts, innovators and practitioners dedicated to building environmentally responsible and high‑performance structures.
Through continuous education, certification and collaboration, SGBF drives the transformation of Saudi Arabia’s building sector — minimizing environmental impact, promoting resource efficiency and improving overall quality of life for communities nationwide.
