Beginning and establishment:
The government shed light on agriculture since 1927 when agriculture was considered a significant source of life, wealth, and economy. His Highness King AbdulAziz – may Allah have mercy on him – had ratified the Decision of the Shura Council, which provided for an exemption to all agricultural implements from customs duties, and the development of the agricultural movement in Saudi Arabia by importing some agricultural machinery and equipment in 1932to be distributed by the Ministry of Finance among farmers at affordable prices. Since then, there has been a growing interest in agriculture during the following phases:
- In 1947, the Directorate-General for Agriculture was established and linked to the Ministry of Finance, with the task of reforming lands, improving irrigation, distributing water pumps, building dams and canals, digging springs and artesian wells, providing loans to farmers, and cooperating with some agricultural technical expertise for training farmers and guiding them toward modern agricultural methods.
- In 1953, the Directorate-General for Agriculture was later transformed into the Ministry of Agriculture and Water by Royal Decree No. (5/21/1/4951) dated 24/12/1953. The Ministry has functioned well since then with six agricultural units located in several cities: Riyadh, Kharj, Ahsaa, Madinah, Jazan, and Buraidah, and established an office in the Ministry for Water and Dam Affairs.
- In 1961, the Agricultural Affairs Agency, and the Water Affairs Agency were established.
- In 1965, the High Committee for Administrative Reform issued Resolution No. (8) dated 16/10/1965, which provided for dividing the Ministry of Agriculture into two main departments.
- The Agriculture Affairs
- The Administrative and Financial Affairs.
- In 1970, the Desalination Affairs Agency was established; which was later changed to the Saline Water Conversion Corporation in 1974.
- The Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water under the Council of Ministers Resolution No. (34) dated 21/10/1985 that was endorsed by Royal Decree No. (M / 3) on 24/11/1985.
- In 2002, Royal Order No. (27482) was promulgated on 15/09/2002, which separated the water sector from the Ministry of Agriculture, and established an independent Ministry of Water.
- In 2016, Royal Decree No. (A / 133) dated 07/05/2016 was issued to abolish the Ministry of Water and Electricity and to amend the name of the Ministry of Agriculture to the “Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture”, to which tasks and responsibilities related to water and environmental affairs were assigned.