Small-scale fisheries critical to food security goals in Saudi Arabia: FAO expert ARAB NEWS RIYADH: Small fish farms are playing a critical role in Saudi Arabia’s food security goals, an expert told a Riyadh conference on Monday. Pedro Guemes, a technical adviser from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, said small-scale fisheries are important for the Kingdom. The number of small farms in the Kingdom is around 26,000, he said, adding they are working with the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture to implement projects that will benefit these communities. Guemes said they are collaborating on training for farmers, capacity building, technology adoption, and wealth management. The comments were made on the final day of the Saudi International Marine Exhibition and Conference in Riyadh — specifically in a session about establishing a regional fisheries authority covering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The Saudi government earlier said it intends to lead the creation of the authority, identifying fisheries and aquaculture as a key driver in its economic diversification goals. These efforts are not just for profit — the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia — has been addressing food security challenges over the years. The World Bank said in an earlier report that “structural challenges” hamper food efforts in the region, as well as worsening climate change affecting local agriculture. Countries in the Gulf are racing to address these challenges through several efforts, including attracting investments through global events such as SIMEC. Small-scale fisheries are also important sources of livelihood for rural communities and small villages, Lionel Dabbadie, a senior fishery and aquaculture officer at FAO, said. “With these small farms, they can be livelihoods and improve the lives of people in rural and remote areas, and also a way to combat inequality, especially between genders,” he explained. Ahmad Al-Mazouri, another senior officer FAO, added up to 95 percent of fish production come from artisanal and small-scale fishermen. These small farms however are faced with a few challenges, FAO’s Guemes said during the panel discussion — among them include raising the quality of products and protecting the environment.