“Salik”: The Kingdom is building its food security with investments approaching 30 billion riyals
The report issued by SALIC, the investment arm of the Public Investment Fund, indicated that the Kingdom contributes to driving approximately 8% of trade grains Globally, in addition to managing more than 20 million tons of strategic goods, with assets approaching 30 billion riyals.
The report emphasized that these figures “do not represent merely a financial success, but reflect the building of an integrated global infrastructure for food security, based on agricultural investments exceeding 200,000 hectares worldwide.”.
From global anxiety to food security
The report explained that the Kingdom's story with food security represents a strategic shift from global concerns to food security itself. Investing in food security has become a sovereign tool to ensure the sustainability of food supplies and contribute to achieving the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy, thus guaranteeing that global food supply chains remain open and secure for the Kingdom under all circumstances.
It is worth noting that the Kingdom's history of food security is rooted in a deep historical legacy, extending from the concept of "Ilaf" in the sixth century, through the efforts of Imam Muhammad bin Saud in securing pilgrimage routes and enhancing food stability, to the era of agricultural empowerment during the reign of King Abdulaziz, who laid the foundations for local production and the development of the agricultural sector.
preemptive moves
This historical continuity underscores the enduring truth that “a strong state is one that controls its own food supply.” However, global crises, such as the 2008 food crisis, exposed the fragility of global supply chains after commodity prices soared by as much as 83%, prompting many countries to restrict exports to protect their domestic markets.
In response, SALIC was established in 2009 as a strategic response to this reality. The Kingdom adopted a new approach based on direct ownership and investment in agricultural assets and global supply chains, rather than relying solely on open markets.
Ultimately, the Kingdom’s investments in food security extend from Australia to South America, and from Canada and Ukraine to India, building a resilient global network encompassing grains, meat, rice, and oils, resulting in an asset growth of approximately 500% in just five years.
