دراسة اقتصادية لمؤشرات الإنتاج والاستهلاك والهدر الغذائي في المملكة العربية السعودية,

This study aims to analyze the indicators of food production, consumption, and waste in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the year 2023, within the framework of assessing the national food security system and its alignment with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030. The research focuses on measuring self-sufficiency ratios of plant and animal products, examining per capita food availability, analyzing the gap between domestic production and imports, and reviewing food loss and waste levels in key commodities. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, supported by quantitative comparison methods, and relied on official data from the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, the General Food Security Authority, the General Authority for Statistics, and the Agricultural Development Fund. The results were analyzed according to the four global dimensions of food security (availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization). Findings reveal a production surplus in certain commodities such as dates (119%), shrimp (147%), and dairy products (129%), contrasted with notable gaps in strategic goods such as wheat, fish, and red meat. Per capita consumption patterns indicated high dependency on rice, dates, and poultry, while fish and fresh fruits remained at low consumption levels. Moreover, food loss and waste ratios remain significantly high, particularly in rice (31%), bread (25%), and fresh vegetables. The study concludes that strengthening food security in Saudi Arabia requires: increased investment in fisheries and red meat production, reallocation of agricultural loans to sectors with larger supply gaps, diversification of import sources, adoption of strategies to reduce food loss and waste, and leveraging modern technologies in storage and distribution. Achieving these objectives is consistent with Vision 2030, which seeks to build a sustainable agricultural and food sector that contributes to economic diversification and ensures national food stability.