President Sir Edward Byrne and his colleagues in senior leadership recently visited KAUST’s Plant Science facilities on campus, providing them with a firsthand overview of our university’s pioneering research in sustainable food production. Organized by the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security, the tour featured the cutting-edge Plant Science laboratories, greenhouse facilities, and on-campus Agricultural Research Field Station. These facilities showcase KAUST’s innovative technologies to address critical challenges in arable agriculture and highlight the strategic role of agricultural innovation in addressing food security challenges in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The President’s visit emphasized KAUST’s ongoing commitment to addressing the challenge of global food security. It also provided an opportunity to showcase how KAUST’s interdisciplinary approach — integrating biotechnology, artificial intelligence, robotics, and environmental engineering — helps tackle pressing issues such as water scarcity, heat stress, and the impacts of climate change on agriculture.
Several impactful projects were highlighted, including:
- Climate-resilient forage crop trials, in collaboration with Edama LLC and Red Sea Global, to support sustainable livestock feed options in arid regions (PI: Jesse Poland).
- The deployment of an autonomous fully electric tractor from Monarch Tractor, showcasing smart mechanization for sustainable agriculture.
- Additional projects focusing on crop yield improvements, resource conservation, and sustainable agricultural practices.
Many of these initiatives are supported by the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security, which serves as a platform for translating research into real-world applications, fostering strategic partnerships, and advancing capacity-building programs, such as the Edible Education Program and Wadi Qudaid Experimental Station.