COMMITMENT
THE FUTURE’S ORGANIC!
Saudi Arabia’s stark desert landscape seems endless and unvarying. And yet in the 1990s,
this Gulf state was one of the world’s largest wheat exporters. Today, the focus has shifted
towards quality rather than quantity: with the launch of a Saudi Arabian eco-label, the
country aims to usher in a new era of organic farming.
Text Hanna Labonté Photos Andreas Wolf
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akzente 03/2011
I
brahim Al-Shahwan is out and about on his
small farm to the south of Riyadh. In his
white thawb – the traditional Arab robe – he
seems quite oblivious to the heat and dust of the
desert, unlike his visitors, who are wilting in the
baking heat. It’s only 10 o’clock in the morning,
but the thermometer has already crept up above
40 degrees. At this time of the year, in May,
Saudi Arabia’s vegetable-growing season is drawing to a close. Even in the air-conditioned glasshouses, it’s simply too hot to grow crops. But AlShahwan is undeterred: on his six hectares of
land, he is still growing around 20 different varieties of organic vegetables that he delivers to his
customers through his own supply service. He
sends out his organic vegetable baskets to some
60 to 80 households a week. ‘My customers have
faith in me,’ he says, his eyes twinkling behind
his spectacles. ‘They know that I provide them
with healthy, high-quality produce, and they are
happy to pay a bit extra for that.’
Breaking new ground
Organic farming in the middle of the desert?
On the face of it, it seems quite incongruous.
And yet for the past six years, GIZ International
Services has been working on behalf of the
Saudi Arabian Ministry of Agriculture to expand the organic farming sector in Saudi Arabia. It’s ground-breaking work: before the
project began, organic farming was almost nonexistent in Saudi Arabia. Legislation and
regulations had to be developed and technical
skills fostered. However, the commitment has
paid off: ‘A separate department has now been
established in the Ministry of Agriculture and
the new organic farming ordinance came into
force last year, so we are taking major steps
forward,’ says GIZ Project Manager Marco
Hartmann.
So what prompted the Ministry of Agriculture to commission the project? It all started
with the increasing problems resulting from the
< Organic pioneer Ibrahim Al-Shahwan in one of his
glasshouses, where he grows courgettes.
akzente 03/2011
SAUDI ARABIA
> COUNTRY STATISTICS
Cyprus
Syria
Lebanon
Israel
Palestinian Territories
Iraq
Iran
Jordan
Kuwait
Bahrain
Egypt
Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
Qatar
U.A.E.
Oman
Eritrea
Area in km2: 2.15 million
Capital: Riyadh
Population: approx. 25.5 million,
including around 7 million
foreign nationals legally
resident in Saudi Arabia
Population growth:
2.5% per annum
GDP 2009: USD 415.4 billion
Per capita GDP 2009:
USD 23.269
Yemen
Sudan
IekhY[0<[Z[hWb<eh[_]dE\ÓY[77
AT A GLANCE
š?djheZkY_d]Eh]Wd_Y<Whc_d]_dj^[A_d]Zece\IWkZ_7hWX_W
šCommissioned by: Ministry of Agriculture, Saudi Arabia
šOverall term: 2005 to 2013
The growing demand for healthy, pesticide-free food in Saudi Arabia has led to a radical shift in attitudes among the country’s farmers, commercial sector and public authorities. This prompted the Ministry of Agriculture to ask GIZ for its support in introducing or]Wd_Y\Whc_d]_dj^[A_d]Zece\IWkZ_7hWX_W$J^[fhe`[Yj\eYki[idejedboedfheZkYj_ed
but also on marketing and certification in accordance with international standards. Certification is intended to offer farmers new business opportunities and boost the internationWbYecf[j_j_l[d[iie\j^[IWkZ_7hWX_Wd\eeZ_dZkijho$J^[fhe`[Yj^WiWbh[WZoWY^_[l[Z
iec[ikYY[ii[i0j^[IWkZ_Eh]Wd_Y<Whc_d]7iieY_Wj_edIE<7^WiX[[di[jkf"WdZb[]Wbly binding frameworks have been established for producers and consumers. These measures are flanked by marketing campaigns and attendance at trade fairs in Saudi Arabia
and abroad. A national eco-label was launched in early 2011.
uncontrolled use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in conventional farming, which were
causing high levels of contamination in some of
the produce on sale in Saudi Arabia. However,
better quality foods are only one of the reasons
why the Saudi Arabian government is taking an
interest in organic farming: ‘It’s noticeable that
today, sustainability issues are becoming
increasingly important,’ says Hartmann. The
fact is that organic farming conserves resources,
which are already in short supply in a desert
environment. The water retention capacities of
soils are improved and new technology, such
as drip irrigation systems, uses water very
efficiently.
Water scarcity is only one of the many
challenges facing farmers in Saudi Arabia, however. ‘There are extreme variations in the country’s climatic conditions, which means that
sparing use of all resources is essential,’ says
Hartmann. Ibrahim Al-Shahwan’s farm, for example, is located in the Arabian Desert. Besides
vegetables, he also produces eggs – although
these are not 100% organic. ‘It’s very difficult
to find certified organic feed here in Saudi
Arabia, so I have to supplement the diet with
conventional feed,’ he explains.
Organic farming is not yet fully established
in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Agriculture
has set up a specialist research centre for »
29
COMMITMENT
organic farming, but initial research results will
not be available for some years. Until then, the
farmers will have to use their own initiative. An
enquiring mind and an interest in experimentation go a long way. For Ibrahim Al-Shahwan,
organic farming is an ongoing experiment. The
study visits to other countries, organised by
GIZ, have been useful, he says, as he has brought
back new varieties of seed. He also swaps
plants and shares experience with other
farmers in Saudi Arabia and he is trying out
various methods to deal with pests. ‘Sharing
experience with other farmers is particularly
useful, in my view,’ he says, and proudly shows
off his seed collection, housed in his farm’s small
packing unit.
A passion for farming
Is he worried about competition? Al-Shahwan
laughs. ‘I can hardly keep up with demand. I’d
be delighted if I had more colleagues to cooperate with, to keep my customers happy!’ The
30
project relies on the idea that the organic farmers themselves will convince their colleagues
who farm conventionally of the benefits of organic farming. And it’s an idea that works, as
Al-Shahwan shows: he takes great delight in
being able to persuade others that he has the
right idea. As his main occupation, he lectures
in plant pathology at King Saud University,
one of the largest educational institutions in
the country. He set up the farm as a sideline.
However, Al-Shahwan is well able to combine
business with pleasure, regularly holding seminars and lectures for colleagues and students.
‘If I can show my students how conventional
farmers use pesticides and how we operate here
on my farm without using these toxins, they
will never want to eat anything but organic
food again,’ he says.
And farmers are responding to the growing interest in organic food: in the first six
months of 2011 alone, the number of organic
farms in Saudi Arabia increased by almost 50%.
‘That’s only the beginning,’ says Hartmann.
‘We are expecting demand to outstrip supply
over the next few years.’
Individual initiative is essential
The German advisors know that the Saudi Arabian project workers have a key role to play in
developing a sustainable domestic market for
organic produce. ‘In order to establish the market on a sustainable basis, an in-depth knowledge of Saudi Arabian society and its specific
characteristics is essential, especially where
public acceptance of organic food is concerned,’
says Hartmann. It is the Saudi project workers
who will take the development of organic farming forward after the project ends. To prepare
them for this responsibility, they are involved
in all aspects of the project: ‘We have great
faith in our partners and encourage them to
take on responsibility from a very early stage,’
says Marco Hartmann.
However, there is still considerable scope
for development, not only on the producer side
akzente 03/2011
but also as regards consumer awareness. Organic
produce has only started to appear in Saudi Arabian supermarkets over the last few years, most
of it imported. Local produce is only gradually
appearing on the shelves. The introduction of a
single Saudi Arabian quality label is intended to
increase acceptance of organic produce and provide consumers with a point of reference as they
make their purchases.
This year, all 23 project farms will be certified in accordance with the new Saudi Arabian
organic standard. Ibrahim Al-Shahwan has high
hopes of the new eco-label, which he believes
will generate a great deal of consumer confidence because it was developed in Saudi Arabia
itself. ‘The new eco-label is written in Arabic
and it also features the name and has the backing of the Ministry, so consumers will know
what they are buying.’ The first certified products carrying the eco-label could appear on the
shelves later this year.
Al-Shahwan is relaxed about the predicted
boom. He has already bought more land in order to increase his output.
< Left: In the glasshouses, the young plants are
protected from excessive heat.
Right: The new Saudi Arabian eco-label aims to
encourage consumers to try locally grown organic
> CONTACT
vegetables.
Marco Hartmann > [email protected]
» INTERVIEW
‘WE’RE PART OF A GLOBAL MOVEMENT’
Dr Saad Khalil is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Saudi Organic Farming
Association (SOFA). As the Head of the
Organic Agriculture Department in the Ministry of Agriculture, he is responsible for managing the project to promote organic farming
on the Saudi Arabian side.
Why is the Saudi Arabian government supporting organic farming?
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cWha[j"Xkjj^[fhe`[YjWbiee\\[hiWdeffehjkd_jojefhecej[j^[
switch from conventional farming, which uses far too much water.
What’s the reaction from farmers?
J^[\Whc[hi_dlebl[Z_dj^[fhe`[Yj\_dZj^[ijkZol_i_jifWhj_YkbWhboki[\kb$M[i[djiec[e\ekh\Whc[hijeWjj[dZj^[É8_e<WY^Ê
akzente 03/2011
MehbZEh]Wd_YJhWZ[<W_h_dDkh[cX[h]$?jmWi^[h[j^WjcWdo
e\j^[ch[Wb_i[Z"\ehj^[\_hijj_c["j^Wjj^[oWh[fWhje\WcW`eh
global movement.
What are the challenges facing the project today?
We are in a transitional phase. At the moment, the demand for organic produce outstrips the supply – and that’s a good situation to
be in. But many consumers cannot afford to buy organic produce or
don’t know anything about it. That’s something we need to work on.
We are planning to launch a large-scale media campaign to raise
awareness of the eco-label.
How’s the future looking for organic farming in Saudi Arabia?
My ambitious hope is that by 2015, organic produce will account
for between 5 and 10% of the food being sold in Saudi Arabia.
Interview: Hanna Labonté
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