Al-Jouf’s agricultural heritage on show at Sakaka date festival

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Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Al-Wardi, deputy governor of Al-Jouf region, launched the first date festival on Friday in Sakaka city. (SPA)
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Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Al-Wardi, deputy governor of Al-Jouf region, launched the first date festival on Friday in Sakaka city. (SPA)
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Photo/Saudi Press Agency
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Photo/Saudi Press Agency
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Photo/Saudi Press Agency
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Updated 07 September 2024
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Al-Jouf’s agricultural heritage on show at Sakaka date festival

  • This event not only highlights the agricultural diversity of the region but also provides a platform for local producers to reach new markets

SAKAKA: The inaugural date festival in Sakaka city was launched on Friday by Ahmed bin Abdulrahman Al-Wardi, deputy governor of Al-Jouf region.

 The five-day event, organized by the local branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, is being held at the Prince Abdullah Cultural Center.

Visitors to the festival are treated to a wide range of activities and exhibitions.




Photo/Saudi Press Agency

Children are well catered for, with special programs aimed at both entertaining and educating the younger generation about various types of dates and the significance of date palms in Saudi culture and agriculture.

Throughout the event, attendees can take part in awareness, entertainment and educational programs.

Thirty local farmers are participating in the festival, presenting nearly 60 types of fresh and dried dates.

This event not only highlights the agricultural diversity of the region but also provides a platform for local producers to reach new markets. It also aims to support local farmers and introduce the unique Nabati palm trees of Al-Jouf to a wider audience, opening new marketing channels for participating farmers.

 

 


SDAIA president says Saudi Arabia is building an integrated AI ecosystem

Updated 20 February 2026
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SDAIA president says Saudi Arabia is building an integrated AI ecosystem

RIYADH: Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority President Abdullah Al-Ghamdi says that Saudi Arabia is moving steadily to establish artificial intelligence as a trusted national capability, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Guided by the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, Al-Ghamdi said the goal is to use AI to help develop government services, enhance competitiveness, build human capacity and improve quality of life through a comprehensive strategy based on three main pillars that unlock the potential of this technology and achieve sustainable developmental impact.

“The first pillar focuses on building human capacity and enhancing readiness to engage with AI technologies,” he said.

The second pillar is building an integrated national AI ecosystem that drives expansion and innovation by developing advanced digital infrastructure that enables various sectors to adopt AI applications efficiently, consistently and with effective governance, Al-Ghamdi said.

The third pillar, he said, is governance that ensures responsible and measurable AI through a national framework aligned with international standards.

This came during Al-Ghamdi’s speech at a high-level ministerial session held on Thursday on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

He is heading the Saudi delegation, and the session saw broad participation from heads of state, decision-makers and technology leaders from around the world.

Al-Ghamdi also had a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening, discussed AI cooperation and expressed his gratitude for hosting the summit and for the hospitality extended to the participants.