Name: Zuhair Ali Alabbasi
Email: engzuhair89@gmail.com
Name: Prof. Faez Saad Al-shihri
Email: Fshihri@iau.edu.sa
Name: Prof.Abdulkarim k.Alhowaish
Email: ahowaish@iau.edu.sa
Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Rural Development in Saudi Arabia: A Case Study of Jowf Bani Hajer
Abstract: Saudi rural economies have shifted away from agriculture and towards tourism, industry, and service industries. Saudi rural communities face many challenges despite these changes. Water scarcity, soil degradation, limited job opportunities, migration from rural areas, lack of basic services, and difficulty accessing them due to weak infrastructure, climate change, and lack of awareness of sustainable development, weak population participation, and lack of cooperation between rural development professional bodies are the biggest challenges to true sustainable development. These issues have threatened rural communities’ survival, especially in Jawf Bani Hajer, Eastern Province. Thus, this study examines Jawf Bani Hajer, Eastern Province, rural development opportunities and challenges. This paper aimed to assess the current situation of rural communities in the study area and identify challenges and opportunities to achieve the object. Conducting a field study using a questionnaire to collect data related to population characteristics, economic activity, urban characteristics and public services, to evaluate the current situation of rural communities in the study area, and to identify the challenges, opportunities to achieve the goals of the sustainable rural development process. A comprehensive understanding of sustainable rural development that prioritizes rural communities’ needs and priorities, establishes sustainable and resilient rural systems that incorporate the best practices in local, regional, and global theoretical literature, and addresses rural communities’ social, economic, and environmental needs and priorities were found. It aims to improve rural residents’ quality of life and economic well-being by improving agriculture, handicrafts, small industries, and public services while preserving natural resources and the environment.
Keywords: rural development; challenges and opportunities; rural community; sustainability; quality of life.
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