Water resources in Saudi Arabia: trends in rainfall, water consumption, and analysis of agricultural water footprint

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of water resources in Saudi Arabia, focusing on supply, demand, vulnerabilities, and implications for food security. Using ERA5 data (1950-2021), the authors analyze long-term precipitation trends, revealing an average annual rainfall of approximately 50 mm, insufficient to meet the country's freshwater needs. Desalination and non-renewable groundwater sources primarily satisfy municipal and agricultural demands, respectively. While total freshwater use has decreased recently due to reduced agricultural consumption, this sector still accounts for 67% of total water use and produces one-third of the country's food. A novel methodology estimates agricultural water requirements, showing they are up to three times the global average, with date and cereal production consuming the majority of the water supply.

Natalia Odnolletkova, Tadeusz W. Patzek