Saudi Arabia Launches National Irrigation Code

Saudi Arabia has developed a new national Code of Irrigation Practices to regulate irrigation at the field level and raise agricultural water efficiency across the Kingdom. Led by the Saudi Irrigation Organization (SIO), the framework sets guiding principles for planning, designing, installing, operating, and maintaining irrigation systems, with a national validation workshop held in Riyadh on 23 April 2025.

The code targets a significant jump in performance: raising average irrigation efficiency from about 55% to more than 70%, and saving roughly 2 billion cubic meters of water each year once fully implemented. It also aims to cut water use in grain cultivation from around 9,750 cubic meters 500 cubic meters

The framework focuses on sustainable water use, reducing losses, and improving productivity at the farm level, while serving as a reference for smart irrigation technologies and modern practices. It falls under the Water Law and its executive regulations, which govern water resources and the use of treated wastewater in the Kingdom.

Why it matters

Water security is a central concern in a country with limited natural resources. By standardizing how farms plan and manage irrigation, the code is designed to stretch scarce water further, support food production, and improve farmer incomes — with field trials already showing higher productivity and better returns.

Oversight sits with the Saudi Water Authority and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, which set water and agriculture policy. The Saudi Irrigation Organization remains the main technical body for the code, reachable on 8002472220. Farmers and stakeholders can access related e-services through the ministry's unified digital portal, Naama.

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