ASSESSING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES USED IN GREEN SAUDI INITIATIVE AFFORESTATION PROJECTS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Abstract

This paper is a critical analysis of the sustainability of irrigation technologies used in afforestation projects through the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI). Since Saudi Arabia is experiencing acute lack of water, desertification and climate issues, the realization of the ambitious project of SGI to plant 10 billion trees by 2030 lies in the adoption of environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically viable irrigation systems. This paper relied on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approaches and a systematic literature review (SLR) of 52 articles published between 2016 and 2025. The results indicate that irrigation technologies are under four categories; conventional systems, efficient systems, alternative water-use technologies, and intelligent/data-driven systems. High-efficiency irrigation techniques including drip irrigation and partial root-zone drying show high levels of water-use efficiency, with up to 50 percent lower water consumption levels, without losing yield. There are alternative water-use strategies, especially treated wastewater, which are reliable and renewable, but public opposition and health issues impede their mass acceptance. The ability to deliver transformational potential of Smart IoT-based systems integrating AI and remote sensing is limited by cost, scale and digital literacy. Analysis also reveals that although environmental advantages are promising, bad management poses a threat of soil salinization and ecological disturbance. Economically, the upfront costs are very high, which inhibits the adoption by smallholders, with the need of subsidies, financing and localization of technology. On the social front, behavioral opposition and cultural attitudes play an important role in adoption, especially as far as wastewater reuse is concerned. The paper reaches the conclusion that sustainable irrigation in the context of SGI must be balanced in mixing technological innovation, coherence of governance, funding means, and community participation. Some of the strategic recommendations are capacity-building, incentive structure, transparent communication campaign, effective monitoring system and regional cooperation. With a strategy of environmental ambition combined with economic realism and social inclusivity, SGI has the potential to become a model of sustainable greening in arid conditions internationally.