Khuzam Palace: It is not clear when Khuzam Palace was built, but it is estimated to have been the work of Imam Saud bin Abdul Aziz in 1805. Located in the southwestern entrance to Hofuf, it offered military protection for Bedouin traders passing by Al-Ahsa to buy supplies and trade.
The palace is considered to be smaller than the Palace of Ibrahim in Al-Ahsa’s Al-Kutt. The entrance is located in the middle of the northern outer wall with a corner for security guards and a square tower erected above it.
The lower parts of the outer wall were restored in 1988 and there are corridors from the top for monitoring and openings for soldiers to fire in cases of emergency.
The palace has six towers in total, three on the north side and three more on the south side made up of two stories. The towers are circular, except for the middle northern tower, which is rectangular shaped.
The General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage in Al-Ahsa is protecting historical sites in the governorate with surveillance cameras to guard against graffiti attacks on its walls.
Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Farida, director of the Tourism Authority in Al-Ahsa, visited the historic palace to inspect restoration and rehabilitation work on the walls.
People convicted of defacing or damaging archaeological or heritage sites face jail terms of up to a year and a fine of up to SR100,000 ($27,000).
ThePlace: Khuzam Palace in Hofuf
ThePlace: Khuzam Palace in Hofuf
- The General Authority for Tourism and National Heritage in Al-Ahsa is protecting historical sites in the governorate
Saudi Reef has played key role in empowering rural communities, says spokesperson
- Program has benefited more than 90,000 rural families, enabled productive projects
- Majed Al-Buraikan: The eight sectors supported by the Saudi Reef program help diversify agricultural production, support sustainable use of resources and improve supply chains
JEDDAH: The Saudi Reef program has played a key role in strengthening food security and empowering farmers and rural families across the Kingdom since its launch in 2019.
The program forms part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts under Vision 2030 to support sustainable agricultural development, diversify the economy, and enhance the contribution of rural communities to national growth.
Majed Al-Buraikan, the official spokesperson for Saudi Reef and its director of corporate communications and media, told Arab News that the program had made a positive impact in rural communities.
He said: “It has empowered small farmers and rural families to develop their agricultural projects and increase productivity.
“This support has helped strengthen food security, improve the use of resources, and support the long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector, in line with Vision 2030 goals to diversify the economy and develop rural areas.”
Through targeted support across eight priority agricultural sectors — including Saudi coffee, value-added development, livestock, rainfed crops, beekeeping and honey production, aromatic plants, fisheries, and fruit — the program focuses on enhancing the sustainability of these sectors to achieve empowerment and stability for rural families.
Al-Buraikan added: “The eight sectors supported by the Saudi Reef program help diversify agricultural production, support sustainable use of resources and improve supply chains.
“This diversity supports economic stability in rural areas, encourages balanced growth, and helps build a flexible rural production system that can expand over time.”
By benefiting more than 90,000 rural families and enabling productive projects rooted in local communities, the program has also opened up new economic opportunities for women and youngsters, supported entrepreneurship, and improved productivity across the rural sector.
Al-Buraikan said: “This shows the wide developmental impact of the Saudi Reef program and its strong geographic and social reach.
“It demonstrates the ability of rural areas to become productive economic spaces.
“This expansion has improved income levels, strengthened social stability in rural areas, and increased the contribution of agriculture to the national economy.”
The program has helped make rural work a competitive economic option by improving agricultural productivity, supporting a wide range of sectors, and enabling beneficiaries to access local and global markets.
The program announced in 2025 that the market value of production across its sectors had exceeded SR5.6 billion ($1.49 billion) since its launch.
Al-Buraikan said: “This reflects the strong economic potential of rural investment and its role in supporting the national economy, food security, and sustainability goals under Vision 2030.”
The Sustainable Reef initiative was launched in September 2025 to highlight the significant impact the program had made in supporting rural communities and enhancing agricultural and economic sustainability across various regions of the Kingdom.
Al-Buraikan said the initiative was a development-focused media extension of the Saudi Reef program.
“It highlights the real impact of government support through inspiring success stories that show how rural projects have become sustainable, productive businesses,” he said.
“What makes it different is that it goes beyond traditional support by building public awareness of the value of rural areas as promising economic and investment contributors.”
Saudi Reef has helped position rural work as a competitive and sustainable economic option, reinforcing its role in driving long-term development across the Kingdom.
The program has also empowered women in rural areas by opening new opportunities in agricultural activities while providing sustainable sources of income.
Al-Buraikan said: “It has also supported young people through an integrated entrepreneurship system that includes incubators, accelerators, and training programs, helping to turn rural ideas into productive projects led by and benefiting rural communities.”
In addition, the program supports Vision 2030 by empowering farmers, increasing local production, and building a sustainable agricultural sector that contributes to food security and economic development.
Demonstration farms serve as practical platforms where farmers can observe modern agricultural practices, learn improved production methods, and adopt modern technologies, thereby increasing efficiency and improving crop quality.
Al-Buraikan said: “The program balances agricultural production with environmental protection by promoting smart agriculture, improving resource use, and linking production to modern technologies. The program ensures agricultural growth while protecting the environment.”
