RIYADH: The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, has launched its first sub-program dedicated to developing the production, manufacturing, and marketing of Saudi coffee, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN.
The initiative aims to raise annual coffee production from 800 tonnes to 7,000 tonnes and increase self-sufficiency from 0.5 percent to 4.4 percent by the end of the current year, contributing to food security and supporting the national economy in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
Saudi Reef spokesperson Majed Al-Buraikan said the coffee development program is designed to integrate Saudi coffee into the agricultural crop structure as a key cash crop and expand the sector’s production base.
He added that the initiative seeks to boost self-sufficiency, reduce coffee imports, enhance value through diversified processing and marketing, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers by increasing their income and creating employment opportunities for young people in production areas and across the value chain.
The coffee sector is one of eight agricultural segments supported by Saudi Reef, which contributes to food security, crop diversification, and improved livelihoods for smallholder farmers, producers, and rural households.
keywords
