Exploring the adoption of climate smart agriculture in Saudi Arabia: Strategies for sustainable development

This study addresses the escalating vulnerability of Saudi Arabia’s agriculture to climate change—marked by rising temperatures, declining groundwater resources, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events—which threatens food security, farmer livelihoods, and long-term sustainable development. In response, the research investigates the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) as a strategic framework to enhance resilience, reduce emissions, and improve productivity. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) covering studies from 2010 to 2023, the analysis synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed research focusing on arid and semi-arid agriculture within the Saudi Arabian context. The study reveals that climate-resilient crop varieties (reported in 52% of reviewed studies), efficient irrigation technologies such as drip and sprinkler systems (46%), and conservation tillage (38%) are the most prominent CSA practices in the Kingdom, primarily concentrated in water-scarce regions such as Al-Qassim and Riyadh. Empirical evidence highlights that adoption is significantly influenced by education, access to modern irrigation infrastructure, government subsidies, ICT-enabled agricultural extension, and exposure to climatic risks such as prolonged droughts and sandstorms. Moreover, CSA practices contribute directly to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG-2 (Zero Hunger), SDG-6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG-13 (Climate Action), by improving yields, enhancing food security, conserving scarce water resources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 12%. To amplify these benefits, the study recommends strengthening localized training centers, expanding ICT-driven outreach platforms, and integrating CSA within national agricultural strategies such as Saudi Vision 2030. These measures are vital to scale CSA adoption, support small and medium-scale farmers, and align the Kingdom’s agricultural transition with its broader sustainability and food security objectives.