Does Arid Land Agroforestry Contribute to Achieving the Saudi Green Initiative Goals? A Review

Aims: Most of the land area of Saudi Arabia is either arid or hyper-arid. In the past decades, many efforts have been exerted to increase the green cover in Saudi Arabia, the most recent of which is the Saudi Green Initiative (S.G.I.), launched in 2021. S.G.I.’s main objectives are to increase the green land surface area and decrease carbon emissions. In this paper, the role of dryland agroforestry in mitigating the effects of climate change was reviewed, and its contribution to fulfilling S.G.I. was discussed.

Methodology: Previously published literature, scholarly research articles, and conference proceeding papers, on agroforestry systems (A.F.S), carbon sequestration and nutrient dynamics under A.F.S over the past 34 years were critically reviewed, examined, and analysed to find various applications of AFS for climate change mitigation and carbon sinks with focus on arid land.

Results: Forests are a vital source for climate change mitigation and adaptation and play a vital role as carbon sinks. A.F.S, eco-friendly and environmentally viable land use and management, provide immense potential to sequester carbon (C). A.F.S. is a reliable tool for increasing C sequestration. As a result of the worth granted to non-timber products, the application of A.F.S. could likewise reduce C emissions to the air by reducing the odds of concrete cutting of trees. Moreover, tree components are a source of C for the soil by means of root and leave decomposition.

Conclusion: In the perspective of the high threat facing humanity paused the climate variability and climate change, many nations and countries have taken various measures to tackle it which included protecting natural forests, afforestation, managed the natural regeneration of green cover. A.F.S leads to better land-use efficiency, increases the green cover, and thus helps in mitigating climate change.