RIYADH: The Saudi Digital Library at the Ministry of Education provides 169 databases in a range of academic fields to help researchers, students and others across the Kingdom.
Public and private universities, teachers and scholarship students are among those benefiting from the library’s digital services, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The library seeks to become the largest assembly of digital knowledge sources in the Middle East in terms of size and type of resources.
More than 65 entities have benefited from the service to date.
The library contains 446,044 digital books, 60,000 scientific journals, 6,548,350 research and conference papers, 5,224,410 university theses, and 3,061,669 scientific reports, in addition to 461,004 multimedia that includes images and scientific films in various disciplines, as well as more than 12,000,000 scientific subjects in information assets owned by the library.
Recent statistics show that there are more than 2.2 million beneficiaries of the library services.
Digital library opens new chapter in Saudi Arabia
https://arab.news/nra67
Digital library opens new chapter in Saudi Arabia
- The library seeks to become the largest assembly of digital knowledge sources in the Middle East in terms of size and type of resources
Experimental farm in Al-Lith looks into future of Saudi Arabian agriculture
- Research initiative reflects strategic transformation
JEDDAH: An experimental farm in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Lith Governorate is one of the research initiatives reflecting the strategic transformation taking place in the Kingdom’s agricultural sector.
The farm uses highly efficient, sustainable production models that combine scientific research with commercial application, contributing to strengthening the country’s food security system and the sustainability of water resources.
Located in the Ghumaiqa Center on an area of about 10 hectares, the cutting-edge farm is a testing platform for modern agricultural technologies that tackle the challenge of water scarcity.
The farm includes developed open fields and modern greenhouses, supported by smart irrigation encompassing drip and sprinkler irrigation alongside surface and subsurface technologies.
All the systems operate via smart controls that enable the monitoring of water consumption and ensure improved efficiency, thereby achieving a balance between agricultural production and water conservation.
The farm also uses treated and diluted low-salinity seawater.
It aims to diversify agricultural water sources, reduce reliance on freshwater, and open new horizons for agriculture in coastal and semi-arid environments.
The project represents a promising investment opportunity in the field of smart agriculture, enabling the development of commercially scalable production models, particularly for high-value vegetables and fruits, while reducing operational costs associated with water and energy, enhancing the economic feasibility of future agricultural projects.
In addition, the project contributes to transferring and localizing agricultural expertise, supporting local food supply chains, and creating an attractive environment for agricultural investment.
This aligns with Sustainable Development Goals and enhances the efficiency of the private sector in adopting innovative agricultural solutions.
Yahya bin Abdulrahman Al-Mahabi, the director of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture office in Al-Lith Governorate, told the Saudi Press Agency that the project represented the future of agriculture in the Kingdom.
He explained that the vision was based on investing in technology, enhancing the return on water per unit, and integrating scientific research with investment opportunities.
Al-Mahabi spoke of the experimental farm as a modern, scalable and replicable model applicable in several regions of the Kingdom, particularly in coastal environments.
Al-Mahabi highlighted the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture’s commitment to supporting distinctive projects that contributed to achieving food security while developing rural areas and enhancing agricultural production efficiency, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
