RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture said in the past eight months, it has allocated SR1,617,831 ($431,000) to 165 farmers as part of its plan to support organic production.The ministry said the number of applications submitted by farmers wishing to switch to organic farming reached 165.The ministry recently signed a 12-month contract to support small farmers to switch to organic farming.The contract aims to produce safe high-quality food, preserve the environment and natural resources, streamline consumption of irrigation water, and promote and support organic production.Under the terms of the contract, the Saudi Organic Farming Society will implement guided field visits, qualify farms wishing to convert to organic agriculture, and prepare them for inspection and certification.n January, King Salman inaugurated the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, which aims to boost production, processing and marketing of fruit, fish, livestock, Arabic coffee and cultivation of rain-fed crops.The program will not only boost investment in the agriculture sector but it will also diversify the sector, improve the incomes of small farmers, create job opportunities and contribute to food security and sustainable development.