At the end of 1985 almost half of the Kingdom’s population was still living in rural areas and a significant proportion of total Saudi employment was in agriculture. Apart from the strategic significance of increasing domestic food production for a growing population, the development of agriculture fulfilled other important roles. King Fahd foresaw that the Kingdom’s most daunting challenge in the twenty-first century would be to provide employment for a young and fast-growing population. Agriculture generated employment both within the sector itself and in closely related agro-industries.

At least as important, agricultural development could raise income levels and improve rural living standards for both settled and nomadic communities alike. It is a running theme throughout King Fahd’s policy statements that the benefits that the Kingdom enjoys should be spread throughout all sections of Saudi society, and development of agriculture has been seen as one way to achieve this goal.

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