• The following words and phrases - wherever they appear in this regulation - shall have the meanings specified next to each of them:

• Center: The National Center for Research and Development of Sustainable Agriculture (Sustainability).

• Regulation: The regulation of the Center.

• Minister: The Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.

• Council: The Board of Directors of the Center.

• President: The President of the Council.

The center enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence, and is organizationally linked to the Minister. Its main headquarters is located in the city of Riyadh, and it has the authority to establish branches and offices within the Kingdom as needed.

The center aims to manage knowledge and effective empowerment; to develop sustainable agricultural system technologies, supervise projects and research programs, and conduct research, studies, and experiments in the fields of protected agriculture, biological control, fertilizers, water use rationalization, and facilitate the innovation process; in order to support and develop sustainable agriculture and expand its applications. Without prejudice to the competencies of the relevant government entities, it shall take the necessary measures to achieve its objectives, particularly the following:
1- Conducting research, studies, and experiments in the fields of the center's work; to reach modern technologies that are compatible with the environment of the Kingdom.
2- Developing modern and innovative technologies and their practical applications related to the center's fields of work, transferring them, and localizing them.
3- Building and developing an electronic database concerned with its competencies.
4- Establishing what is necessary regarding the development of research plans and programs; to identify environmental, production, or marketing impediments, and find solutions for them.
5- Collaborating with individuals, entities, and specialized consulting firms inside and outside the Kingdom, within the limits of the center's competencies.
6- Holding conferences, seminars, scientific meetings, workshops, and training courses, within the limits of the center's competencies. Publishing scientific output and participating in it.
7- Raising awareness of sustainable agricultural practices and modern and innovative technologies.
8- Providing consultations, technical support, and practical solutions to the public and private sectors in the field of sustainable agriculture systems.

• 1- The center shall have a Board of Directors chaired by the Minister, with the membership of:

  • A - The Director General of the center.  

  • B - Representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.       

  • C - A representative from the Ministry of Finance.

  • D - A representative from the Ministry of Economy and Planning.

  • E - A representative from the Ministry of Commerce and Investment.  

  • F - Two faculty members from universities appointed by the Minister of Education in agreement with the Minister.

  • G - A representative from the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry.             

  • H - Representatives from the private sector who are specialists in the field of the center's work, appointed by a decision of the Council of Ministers, based on a nomination from the President.

• 2- The rank of representatives of government entities in the council must not be less than the (fourteenth) rank or its equivalent. Except for the President and the Director General of the center, the membership of the council is for three years, renewable only once, and the remuneration of the members shall be determined by a decision of the Council of Ministers. 

The Council is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the center and managing its matters. It has the authority to make the necessary decisions to achieve its objectives within the framework of the regulations. Specifically, it has the following responsibilities:
1- Approval of the organizational structure of the center.
2- Approval of the financial and administrative regulations for the center's operations in agreement with the Ministry of Finance, as well as other internal regulations.
3- Approval of the general policies, plans, and programs of the center.
4- Proposing the draft budget of the center and submitting it for completion of approval in accordance with the legal procedures.
5- Approval of the final accounts of the center, the annual report, and the auditor's report; in preparation for submitting them according to the established legal procedures.
6- Appointment of an external auditor and an internal financial controller.
7- Approval of entering into agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts, in accordance with the established legal procedures.
8- Proposing draft laws related to the center's competencies, suggesting amendments to existing ones, and submitting them for completion of legal procedures.
9- Approval of establishing branches and offices for the center within the Kingdom.
10- Acceptance of gifts, grants, donations, endowments, and bequests, in accordance with the applicable regulations.
11- Determining the financial compensation for the services provided by the center in accordance with its competencies.
To achieve these competencies, the Council may form permanent or temporary committees from its members or others, assigning them tasks as deemed necessary. Each committee's formation decision will specify its chairperson, members, and competencies, and it may seek assistance from whomever it deems necessary to perform the assigned tasks. The Council may also delegate all or some of its competencies to its chairperson, or to any of its members or staff of the center.

1- The meetings of the Council shall be held at the headquarters of the main center, and they may be held at another location.
2- The Council shall meet at least twice a year at the invitation of its President, and whenever necessary, provided that the invitation is accompanied by an agenda for the meeting. The President shall call the Council to meet whenever at least four of its members request it. The validity of the meeting requires the presence of a majority of the members, including the President or his representative from the governmental member entities of the Council to preside over the meetings in his absence. Decisions shall be made by a majority of the votes of those present, and in the event of a tie, the side that the President of the meeting voted for shall prevail. The dissenting member has the right to record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the meeting.
3- The deliberations and decisions of the Council shall be recorded in minutes signed by the President of the meeting and the attending members.
4- A member may not abstain from voting or delegate another member to vote on his behalf in his absence.
5- A member may not disclose any information he has obtained regarding the secrets of the center even after the termination of his membership in the Council.
6- The Council may invite those it deems necessary from specialists and consultants to attend its meetings, without them having the right to vote.

 The center shall have a General Director, who is appointed and relieved from his position by a decision of the Council. The decision shall specify his salary and other financial benefits, and he shall be the executive responsible for managing the center. His responsibilities are limited to what is stipulated in the regulations and what the Council decides, and he shall specifically undertake the following competencies:
1- Supervising the preparation of the organizational structure of the center and submitting it to the Council for approval.
2- Supervising the preparation of the financial and administrative regulations for the center and submitting them to the Council for approval.
3- Supervising the preparation of the center's general policies, plans, and programs, and following up on their implementation after the Council has approved them.
4- Supervising the preparation of the draft budget, final accounts, and annual report for the center, and submitting them to the Council.
5- Supervising the workflow in the center and following up on the implementation of what the Council approves in the administrative, financial, and technical fields of the center.
6- Appointing employees in the center and supervising its staff, in accordance with the applicable regulations and rules.
7- Disbursing from the center's budget and taking all financial procedures, in accordance with the applicable regulations and rules, and within the limits of the powers delegated to him by the Council.
8- Representing the center before the judiciary, and before government agencies, institutions, and other relevant bodies, as well as other entities inside and outside the Kingdom.
9- Contracting with others as required by the workflow in the center, and within the limits of the powers delegated to him by the Council.
10- Signing agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts after the Council's approval, and in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.
11- Submitting periodic reports to the Council regarding the center's activities.
12- Any other competencies assigned to him by the Council.
The General Director may delegate some of his competencies to other staff members of the center.

• The resources of the center consist of the following:

• A - The allocations approved for it within the budget of the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.

• B - The financial compensation received for the services it provides.

• C - What the Council accepts in terms of gifts, grants, donations, endowments, and bequests.

• D - Any other resource approved by the Council that does not violate the regulations and instructions.  The revenues of the center are deposited in a current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.  The center may open other accounts in banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom, and expenditures shall be made from them according to the approved budget of the center.

The employees of the center are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.

1- The center shall have an independent annual budget.
2- The financial year of the center is the financial year of the state.