The Future of Agricultural Support in Kuwait

During his meeting with the chairman and members of the Municipal Council on October 30, 2013, His Highness the Emir emphasized the need to give the private sector the opportunity to participate in the process of development, reconstruction, and building, as well as in improving the services provided to citizens. His Highness stated that the time has come for the private sector to fulfill its role and responsibilities in managing projects and services provided to citizens, especially given the economic conditions the country is currently facing. The General Authority for Agriculture recently took a positive step by allocating sites for private veterinary service companies in the Souq Al-Ghanam area; a site in the same area had previously been allocated to an agricultural company for the distribution of its “Al-Jat” products. This policy represents steps in the right direction to give the private sector This policy is a step in the right direction to empower the private sector. It also aligns with the recommendations of His Highness the Emir and the World Bank report, which advocates for the privatization of services. In the context of agriculture, this would reduce the cost of agricultural services provided by the state and lead to the delivery of better services. Now is the right time to seriously consider expanding the activities of agricultural institutions and companies in Kuwait and the possibility of utilizing their services to benefit the agricultural sector. There is no doubt that agricultural institutions and companies have developed their services over the past two decades and have become synonymous with—if not natural competitors to—the Public Authority for Agriculture. In the development of agriculture in Kuwait, some agricultural institutions and companies provide proper agricultural guidance, oversee farming operations, and assist farmers in introducing new varieties of high-yielding seeds. They also offer advice on fertilization and farm management. These services are essential, as the success of the farm is the success of the agricultural institution and company. If we look at the industrial sector, we note that the Industrial Affairs Department at the Ministry of Commerce provides industrial facilities with land, services, and financial facilities, exempts them from customs duties, offers customs protection, and gives them priority in government procurement. As for agriculture in Kuwait, over the past ten years, support has shifted from full support for greenhouses to minimal support for the final product. Given the general budget situation of the Agriculture Authority, the prevailing expectation is that support will cease in the near future. It remains for the new Municipal Council and the General Authority for Agriculture to enact a clear policy based on providing the necessary moral support without allocating any budget funds, in exchange for agricultural institutions and companies providing essential services to develop agriculture. This policy can be summarized as follows: as follows: The state should allocate sites in the Al-Mashatel area for agricultural institutions and companies to establish showrooms and warehouses for agricultural supplies to serve citizens in Kuwait. Allocating these sites will save the high rental costs they currently pay and will lead to lower material costs and the ability to provide better service and a variety of supplies. Allocate sites to serve farmers in the Wafra and Abdali areas so that all institutions and companies can provide their services directly to farmers, such as maintenance of agricultural machinery and equipment, plowing services, the establishment of production nurseries, and the sale of agricultural supplies. It is unreasonable for entire areas like Abdali and Wafra to remain without competitive, integrated services. Require agricultural institutions and companies to assign professional agricultural engineers to provide advisory services to citizens and farmers. . To green Kuwait, every commercial property owner must plant one tree or palm tree for every 100 square meters of land area, and the Municipal Council must require the greening of any new commercial or residential project.