Saudi agricultural revolution: 713 million beneficial insects as an alternative to pesticides

In a strategic move aimed at enhancing food security and achieving environmental sustainability, the National Center for Plant Pest and Animal Disease Prevention (Wiqa’) revealed its plans to produce more than 713.5 million beneficial insects during 2025. This ambitious initiative comes within the Kingdom’s efforts to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides and protect agricultural crops in natural and safe ways, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

Historical background and global context

This shift towards biological control is part of a broader global move away from conventional, chemical-intensive agriculture. For decades, pesticides have increased productivity but have also raised growing concerns about their impact on human health, water and soil pollution, and damage to biodiversity, particularly pollinators like bees. Biological control, which utilizes the natural enemies of pests, is not a new concept, but technological advancements and increased environmental awareness have made it a viable solution on a large scale. The Kingdom is adopting these advanced technologies to become a leader in sustainable desert agriculture.

The importance of the initiative and its expected impact

The Waqaa Center explained that these outputs were achieved through its Plant Protection Biotechnology Center, with the aim of promoting the use of safe alternatives and establishing a natural ecological balance for pest control in agricultural fields. Official statistics from the center show that 90,072 packages of beneficial organisms were prepared for distribution, along with the production of 4,572 bumblebee hives, which play a vital role in pollination.

Dual role: prevention and vaccination

This initiative serves two main objectives. The first is biological pest control, where beneficial insects act as a "natural army," preying on or parasitizing harmful insects that damage crops, thus reducing the need for chemical spraying. The second objective is to enhance flower pollination within greenhouses using bumblebee colonies, which directly improves crop quality and productivity, ensuring the production of fully mature fruit with higher market value.

Local and regional impact

Locally, these environmental solutions will contribute to ensuring food safety for consumers, protecting natural resources, and preserving biodiversity. They also support farmers by providing effective and sustainable solutions. Regionally, the Kingdom’s success in implementing these technologies on a large scale positions it as a leader and offers a model that neighboring countries facing similar agricultural and environmental challenges can learn from. Expanding the use of biological control technologies is a key pillar of the national “Prevention” strategy, which aims to protect vegetation cover and ensure the sustainability of agricultural resources for future generations.