The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture

The National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture, called (Estidamah) for short, is a non-profit research center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 2011 and was inaugurated in 2017. It provides applied research and tests, and develops advanced techniques that contribute to promoting the concept of sustainable agriculture. Estidamah was established by an agreement between the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture (MEWA) and King Saud University, as the university is home to Estidamah's headquarters in the Riyadh Techno Valley (RTV), with support from the Saudi Basic Industries Company (SABIC).

In 2008, SABIC, with the support of the then-Ministry of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources, launched a fund to establish a national center for research and development of sustainable agriculture. In 2011, MEWA signed a joint agreement with King Saud University to establish Estidamah, to be based at the campus of King Saud University at the RTV in Riyadh City.

In 2013, MEWA signed a second agreement with SABIC, charging the latter with managing the design and construction activities of Estidamah. In 2016, a third agreement was signed between MEWA and SABIC, under which SABIC became responsible for operating Estidamah’s activities for the first five years.

In 2017, Estidamah was launched to provide applied research and adopt, test, and develop advanced techniques that contribute to the promotion of the concept of sustainable agriculture.

In 2019, the Saudi Council of Ministers approved the proposed organization for the establishment of Estidamah as a national center for research and development of sustainable agriculture, with an independent legal personality, to be administered by a board headed by MEWA.

Estidamah has identified four strategic objectives for achieving its vision, namely, first: the application of innovative agricultural techniques to promote technical practices to deliver sustainable research for protected agriculture. Second: to improve agricultural sustainability, provide effective solutions for horticultural research that enhance water efficiency, and develop full pest management. Third: to achieve greater impact through collaboration with local and international partners and build strong research and knowledge-sharing partnerships. Fourth: to enhance communication and training to provide robust research solutions, communication tools, and effective training programs.

Estidamah conducts its research in four main areas: controlling environmental conditions by showcasing the advantages of applying greenhouse techniques to produce staple agricultural crops continually throughout the year; managing agricultural operations and crops at the level of protected agriculture to improve productivity and quality; integrated pest management using alternative tools and controls rather than relying on pesticides in open fields and greenhouses; and finally, fertilization and irrigation methods for crop cultivation to rationalize water use and improve water efficiency in order to enhance sustainability.