Organizational Affiliations:
Directly liaises with the Deputy Minister for Agriculture.
Overall Objective:
To conserve, develop and protect plant resources and ensure proper utilization and exploitation of such resources.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
1- Preparation of legislation, regulations, standards and plans for the plant resources sector.
2- Setting priorities and investment objectives in the agricultural sector and ensure their compliance with the strategic directions in coordination with the relevant departments.
3- Preparation of plans, programs, requirements and research agenda aimed at promoting and increasing production, productive efficiency and diversification of agricultural products in coordination with the relevant departments.
4- Improvement of agricultural production systems of all types according to the comparative advantage of regions and in coordination with the relevant departments.
5- Conserving and developing local breeds of plant resources.
6- Adoption and dissemination of plant breeds and the use and dissemination of appropriate techniques to increase productivity and improve quality in coordination with the research centers concerned.
7- Developing standards for raising the quality of plant products from the production line at the farm until the marketing line to meet the needs of the consumers by applying the security system in coordination with the concerned governmental bodies (such as the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Org., Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Saudi Food and Drug Authority, General Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection, etc.).
8- Develop a database of information on plant projects and provide it to stakeholders.
9- Develop mechanisms to take advantage of animal waste and ensure that it is used optimally (such as fertilizers and compost) in coordination with the concerned parties.
10- Identification of the relevant authentication bodies based on ISO standards.
11- Prepare plans, programs and schedules of visits of the authentication bodies.
12- Applying standards and conditions of agricultural inputs and machines according to the policies and procedures.
13- Registering agricultural inputs according to the scientific conditions.
14- Developing and apllying standards for agricultural machinery.
15- Developing standards and conditions of issuing import and export inputs for agricultural inputs.
16- Setting standards for issuing permits and licenses in accordance with approved policies and procedures in coordination with the relevant authorities.
17- Supervising the implementation of agricultural services(registration of varieties, etc.).
18- Developing plans and programs to protect the plant wealth in the Kingdom from the risks of pests and environmental pollution in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
19- Develop programs to improve and promote good "plant" agricultural practices (clean agriculture).
20- Coordinating with technical sectors (e.g. plant services) to develop policies and legislations related to agricultural inputs (fertilizers, seeds, seedlings and organic and biological pesticides).
21- Communicating and coordinating continuously with international organizations concern with plant health (TBT, IPPC, WTO, etc.) to get information on pests that may affect public health.
22- Develop a database of agricultural data and disease spread and makes it available for to educators and stakeholders
23- Development of Integrated Pest Management methods.
24- Improving biological control methods to preserve the environment and promote organic and clean production in coordination with the concerned sector departments.
25- Developing mechanisms and methodologies for conducting experiments on organic and biological pesticides and ensure their implementation.
26- Utilizing the expertise and knowledge gained from research centers, scientific meetings and international conferences.
27- Overseeing the operations and activities of plant services and ensuring their implementation in accordance with the approved policies and procedures.
28- Evaluating control activities, controlling agricultural inputs and measuring the possibility to achieve the desired objectives aimed at preserving plant wealth.
29- Preparing technical policies, legislations and regulations related to the activities of agricultural quarantines in the regions in coordination with the General Directorate of Quarantine.
30- Supervising the implementation of quarantine activities in the Kingdom (locally or abroad) related to the health and protection of plants and ensure their compatibility with policies and procedures and approved legislation in coordination with the General Department of Quarantine.
31- Supervising the movement of imported, exported and in transit consignments in order to prevent the entry of plant pests into the Kingdom in coordination with the General Department of Quarantine.
32- Ensure that the quarantines at the kingdom's ports of entry check all imported, exported and in transit consignments to ensure that they are free from pests, treating, purifying, destructing re-exporting, quarantining, etc. of the quarantine procedures in coordination with the General Department of Quarantine.
33- Preparation of mechanisms for the inspection and examination of documents and documents of plant consignments imported, exported and in transit in coordination with the General Department of Quarantine.
34- Studying and analyzing the periodic reports on the infected plant pests and submitting them to the General Department of Quarantine.
35- Studying and analyzing the periodic reports of international organizations specialized on the infected plant pests and submitting them to the General Department of Quarantine.
36- Develop mechanisms and methodologies for monitoring and assessing agricultural sector risks in line with pilot practices.
37- Identifying risks related to agriculture (plant production, prevention and pest control, plant services, etc.) and cooperating with organizational units to reduce such risks.
38- Study and analyze the risks related to the agricultural sector and assess the probability of their spread or entry into the Kingdom, study them and assess their consequences.
39- Identification and inventory of plant pests and their harmful impact on human health and economic damage, and update them in the list of diseases.
40- Develop and update lists of all plant pests, and to notify the concerned authorities within or outside the Ministry to take appropriate measures accordingly.
41- Proposing modern methods and tools to tackle with risks related to the agriculture sector.
42- Preparing plans and programs for the expansion of organic plant production.
43- Setting priorities and investment objectives in the production of organic plants, and ensuring their compatibility with the strategic directions of the Ministry.
44- Preparation of plans, programs, requirements and research agenda aimed at promoting and increasing production, productive efficiency and diversification of organic plant production in coordination with the relevant departments.
45- Improving organic production systems according to the comparative advantage of regions and in coordination with the relevant departments.
46- Developing a database on organic plant projects and makes it accessible for stakeholders.