Research on World Agricultural Economy

Prospects on Agricultural Development in Kuwait, An Overview

Samira Omar Asem

Environment and Life Science Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, Safat, 13109, Kuwait

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v5i4.1165

Received: 8 August 2024 | Revised: 5 September 2024 | Accepted: 6 September 2024 | Published Online: 16 October 2024

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Abstract

High Gross Domestic Product (GDP) countries in the Arabian Peninsula, such as the State of Kuwait, invest billions of dollars annually for developing the agricultural sector to counter harsh climatic conditions, poor soil fertility, and scarcity of irrigation water. With the increase in population, these countries must increase agricultural production to meet rising demands and reduce reliance on food imports, which currently constitute about 90% of the total food demand in Kuwait. This study provides an overview of the agricultural sector in Kuwait to assess the current status of agricultural development and provide recommendations for improvement, considering key factors such as economic constraints, climate change and food security. An intensive literature review was carried out with an assessment of available data at local institutions. Despite the challenges over the past two decades, agricultural areas have been expanding by 38%. The number of holdings increased by 300% in 2017/18. Large subsidies are granted by the government amounting to KD 26 million in 2019/20. However, the agricultural sector’s contribution to GDP did not exceed 0.6% over the past decade with little indication of a significant growth trend in the future. To enhance local food production, Kuwait must adopt sustainable agricultural technologies and reduce the demand on land reclamation for irrigation purposes. The future outlook of the agricultural sector, however, is not clear under the current business as usual. Strategic planning for resilient agricultural development may consider sustainable farming technology systems with renewable energy, such as vertical and smart farming systems. This will boost agricultural production for social sustainability and environmental benefits such as reducing the demand on land, water, electricity, and chemical usage. Future research is needed to assess the economic sustainability of large-scale advanced technology farming systems considering climate change, energy demand and food security.

Keywords: Agricultural holdings; Subsidies; Self-sufficiency; Vertical farming; Climate change; Smart farms; Land-use mapping

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