Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — On World Bee Day, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture announced a major beekeeping expansion initiative. Saudi Arabia will establish seven new regional queen bee breeding and package production stations by 2026. These stations are part of a strategic effort to strengthen the apiculture sector, preserve native bee genetics, and reduce reliance on imported bee packages.

Target locations include Jazan, Asir, Madinah, Makkah, Hail, Tabuk, and Najran—each selected for ecological compatibility with bee farming. These sites will complement four existing facilities in Abha, Al-Baha, Qassim, and Riyadh, bringing the total to 11.

Strategic Goals of Saudi Beekeeping Expansion

The initiative aims to:

  • Enhance local bee strains through breeding programs
  • Lower import dependency (currently 1.3 million bee packages annually)
  • Train beekeepers in modern hive management and artificial insemination
  • Improve disease diagnostics and bee health practices
  • Expand honey product marketing and commercialization

This program also supports Saudi Arabia’s Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program (Reef Saudi), which has already funded SAR 190 million to support over 14,000 beekeepers. Investments include mobile clinics, diagnostic labs, and market support services to elevate the apiculture value chain.

Currently, the Kingdom has over 25,000 licensed beekeepers managing one million hives and producing more than 5,800 tons of honey annually. The sector yields over 20 types of honey, including prized Sidr and Talh varieties.

By merging science, training, and investment, Saudi Arabia continues its path toward agricultural innovation, rural empowerment, and food security—key tenets of Vision 2030.

 

The Saudi Standard’s View: A Buzzing Strategy for Rural Growth

Saudi Arabia’s beekeeping expansion is more than a biodiversity measure—it’s a smart policy that ties ecological resilience to economic empowerment. By investing in native bee strains and modern breeding stations, the Kingdom is turning a niche agricultural activity into a scalable, strategic asset.

This initiative also reflects a broader evolution in rural development thinking. Instead of relying solely on large-scale farming, the strategy embraces decentralized, high-value activities that benefit smallholders, cooperatives, and remote communities. The inclusion of diagnostics labs, mobile clinics, and training centers underscores that modernization doesn’t mean abandoning tradition—it means upgrading it.

Through this policy, Saudi Arabia isn’t just producing honey. It’s producing livelihoods, scientific knowledge, and a more diversified rural economy. It also enhances the Kingdom’s environmental credibility, showing that food security and pollinator protection go hand in hand. As Vision 2030 advances, the beekeeping sector could become a case study in how local innovation supports national transformation.