Saudi Red Crescent Authority completes preparations for Hajj season
Updated 10 July 2021
SPA
RIYADH: Ambulances operating during this year’s Hajj season have been provided with 5 million boxes of medical consumables by the Saudi Red Crescent Authority’s (SRCA) medical supply team.
The supplies were handed to paramedics, who will unload them into ambulances. The boxes are divided into three different categories of medicine.
Teams prepared more than 300 boxes containing 2 million pieces of medical consumables and set up a reserve of 3 million medical pieces, in addition to equipping emergency centers.
The three categories of medical consumable boxes can provide emergency medical service for 20 to 30 normal emergency cases and 15 to 20 critical cases. Each ambulance contains basic materials such as trauma devices, an oxygen cylinder and a vital signs reading device, in addition to fluid suctioning devices, wooden plates, cervical splints and limb immobilization devices.
Faisal Al-Shamrani, head of the medical supply team, said that the group represents SRCA’s main medical wing in the holy sites, and their duties include determining the quantities and procuring medical supplies required for Hajj.
He added that workers are also distributing the necessary medical supplies for the main and subsidiary warehouses in the Mina and Muzdalifah areas in order to meet the needs of ambulances and medical centers.
Experimental farm in Al-Lith looks into future of Saudi Arabian agriculture
Research initiative reflects strategic transformation
Updated 02 February 2026
SPA
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.
A view of the experimental farm in Al-Lith. (SPA)
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.
