Factors Influencing Public Engagement in Water Resource Conservation for Food Security in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Water scarcity in Saudi Arabia's hyper-arid climate leads to complex food security challenges that require a sustainable development approach crucially involving water conservation. This study provides a contextually grounded analysis of factors influencing public engagement in water conservation in Jeddah, offering insights relevant to Saudi Vision 2030. This research employs a descriptive-interpretive qualitative methodology to gain deep insights into the lived experiences of residents. Data were collected via semi structured interviews with ten purposively selected Jeddah citizens until thematic saturation was achieved. A rigorous, reflexive thematic analysis was then conducted to identify emergent patterns shaping conservation attitudes and practices. The findings reveal a complex duality of powerful drivers and formidable barriers. Key motivators, embedded in the socio-cultural fabric, are a profound spiritual duty derived from Islamic principles to reject wastefulness (Israf) and intergenerational transmission of traditional wisdom. Furthermore, rising water tariffs are an economic impetus. However, noble aspirations can be undermined by critical obstacles. The primary barrier is financial, specifically the high upfront cost of water-efficient technologies, which disproportionately affects lower-income households and prevents widespread adoption. Psychologically, a ‘desalination paradox’ was identified, wherein public confidence in large-scale state-led technological solutions fosters a sense of security that diminishes personal agency. This is compounded by a ‘responsibility-efficacy gap’, as individuals struggle to connect their household conservation efforts with the vast challenge of national food security, often feeling their seemingly small actions are inconsequential. Advancing public water conservation requires a multi-pronged strategy beyond awareness raising campaigns. To be effective, policy interventions must be culturally resonant, integrating religious and traditional narratives into public messaging. They must be economically enabling, deploying targeted financial incentives, such as subsidies, to overcome the initial investment hurdle for efficiency technologies. They must also be psychologically empowering, actively working to close the identified cognitive gaps by transparently communicating the collective impact of individual savings and clarifying the complementary role of technology in achieving water security.