المملكة: Figures: “Environmental Commitment” reveals the volume of waste from poultry farms in the Kingdom

The National Center for Environmental Compliance Control revealed the volume of waste from poultry farms in the Kingdom, indicating that it reaches 26 thousand tons annually.
The Center launched a project to evaluate the environmental performance of more than 12 agricultural, animal and fishery activities, with the aim of enhancing environmental performance, reducing water consumption, reducing the percentage of waste and recycling it.

Poultry farms in Saudi Arabia

This came during a workshop recently organized by the Center entitled: “Participatory Stakeholders to Evaluate the Environmental Performance of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Activities,” with the participation of more than 100 researchers and specialists.
Dr. Basil Al-Hilali, Director of the Agriculture and Livestock Department and head of the technical team at the center, explained that poultry farms are among the largest producers of waste in the agricultural sector, compared to organic agriculture, which records the lowest volume of waste at only 0.01 tons.
Al-Hilali pointed out that the National Center for Oversight of Environmental Compliance launched a project to evaluate the environmental performance of more than 12 agricultural and animal activities, with the aim of enhancing environmental performance, reducing water consumption and reducing the percentage of waste, as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to reach a sustainable environment.

Poultry sector in Saudi Arabia

He pointed out that plant wealth activities, especially fodder cultivation, represent the largest consumer of water compared to other agricultural activities, as a result of the use of low-efficiency irrigation systems.
He pointed out that the Kingdom suffers from a lack of recycling agricultural waste to achieve maximum benefit, as the amount of agricultural waste recycling is about 2.3 tons annually.
Al-Hilali stressed the commitment of most establishments to obtaining the environmental permit, as the compliance rate reached 100% in the veterinary sector, 70% in the dairy sector, and 63% in poultry farming and slaughterhouses.

He pointed out that poultry farming, rural farming, livestock farming, and dairy farms contain the most types of waste, while ornamental farming is considered the least. He explained that the percentage of waste in poultry farms amounted to 26 thousand tons annually, while organic agriculture recorded the lowest volume of waste, as it amounted to 0.01 tons.

Improving environmental performance

Maryam Al Madawah, Director General of Environmental Performance for Natural Resources, explained that the environmental performance assessment project will contribute to an accurate assessment of the impact of agricultural and animal activities on the environment, and help in making the necessary decisions to improve environmental performance.
She pointed out that the project, which will last for 18 months, includes evaluating organic agricultural activities, including palm trees, fodder, crops, and ornamental plants, in addition to evaluating livestock activities.
Such as livestock and poultry farming, dairy farms, poultry slaughterhouses, livestock slaughterhouses, rural breeding and veterinary facilities, in addition to evaluating the performance of fisheries activities.