Arabic
Issued by Council of Ministers Decision 849
Article 1
The following words—wherever they appear in this system—have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:
Authority:
The General Food Security Authority.
System:
The system of the authority.
Minister:
The Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
Board:
The board of directors of the authority.
Chief executive officer:
The chief executive officer of the authority.
Food security:
Providing adequate, safe, and nutritious food for everyone, in a stable and permanent manner through coordinated action between governmental and non-governmental entities, with the aim of enabling a vibrant society and a prosperous economy.
Strategic commodities:
Food commodities that are in continuous long-term demand, regardless of the changing circumstances, and which are indispensable.
Early warning system:
An automated system for collecting information that enables concerned entities to prepare for disruptive events related to food commodity markets by closely monitoring markets in accordance with a number of protocols to support long-term food sustainability.
Article 2
The authority enjoys legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is legally affiliated with the minister, its headquarters are in the City of Riyadh, and it may establish branches or offices inside the Kingdom as needed.
Article 3
The authority is the competent authority in the Kingdom for food security, and supervises the abundance of all strategic commodities. It aims to regulate, enhance, and develop food security, in order to ensure the protection of the national interests of the state and its national security, and to monitor compliance with the laws and plans issued in this regard, in coordination with the relevant entities.
Article 4
In order to achieve its objectives, the authority may—without prejudice to the mandates of other entities—exercise the following mandates and carry out the following tasks:
1․ Proposing draft laws, regulations, policies, and strategies related to its mandates, proposing amendments to those in force, and reporting on matters that require legal procedures in their regard.
2․ Proposing strategic commodities and updating them whenever necessary, in coordination with the relevant entities, and reporting on matters that require legal procedures in their regard.
3․ Coordinating with the relevant entities to develop, manage, supervise, and update policies and plans for emergency response and recovery related to food security, and reporting on necessary matters in accordance with legal procedures.
4․ Designing and managing the early warning system, in coordination with the relevant entities.
5․ Developing strategic storage plans and policies in relation to the food security system, supervising their implementation, and reporting on matters that require the completion of legal procedures in their regard.
6․ Setting criteria, procedures, controls, and requirements for the storage of strategic commodities, following up on compliance with them, and updating them, without prejudice to any standards or controls approved by other relevant entities.
7․ Setting the necessary controls and conditions for the licenses it issues in accordance with its mandates.
8․ Providing an investment environment for investors and the private sector—in coordination with the relevant entities—in the fields of work of the authority, supervising the plans and programs relating to them, and ensuring their alignment with the relevant efforts.
9․ Developing its sources of revenue through investment and strategic partnerships with the private sector, in order to ensure the performance of its tasks and the achievement of its objectives, in accordance with the legal procedures.
10․ Monitoring and collecting the necessary data to support the analyses and proactive detection of crises related to the food security system, and taking the necessary measures in this regard to ensure the avoidance of these crises.
11․ Monitoring the commodities targeted by the strategic storage plans related to the food security system stored in the private sector, the mechanisms for their circulation and use, and taking the necessary measures in relation to matters monitored by the authority in this regard.
12․ Measuring the levels of food loss and waste for all stages of the value chain, and setting the necessary policies, plans, and targets to reduce food loss and waste, including recycling and developing the necessary programs for this in coordination with the relevant entities, in accordance with its mandates.
13․ Developing awareness programs to reduce food loss and waste, in coordination with the relevant entities, and following up on their implementation.
14․ Coordinating with all relevant entities in the food security system to organize the efforts related to the system.
15․ Developing a comprehensive plan for capacity building related to the food security system, in coordination with the relevant entities.
16․ Following up on compliance with the laws, regulations, and policies related to the food security system, and taking the necessary measures in coordination with the relevant entities in regard to any violations monitored of these laws and legislation.
17․ Electronically linking with governmental and non-governmental entities, in order to obtain information and data related to its mandates and the performance of its tasks.
18․ Signing agreements and memorandums of understanding relating to the fields of food security with the relevant entities inside the Kingdom and abroad, in accordance with the established legal procedures, in coordination with the relevant entities.
19․ Holding conferences, seminars, and workshops relating to the fields of food security, and participating in them inside the Kingdom and abroad, in accordance with the established legal procedures.
20․ Supporting research and studies in the fields of food security, whether individually or in conjunction with the relevant entities.
21․ Representing the Kingdom—regionally and internationally—within the limits of the fields of food security, in accordance with the legal procedures.
Article 5
1․ The authority must have a board of directors chaired by the minister and the membership of the following:
(a) A representative from the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture.
(b) A representative from the Ministry of Finance.
(c) A representative from the Ministry of Commerce.
(d) A representative from the Ministry of Interior.
(e) A representative from the National Risk Council.
(f) A representative from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority.
(g) The chief executive officer.
(h) Two from the private sector, with expertise and competence in the field of work of the authority, appointed by an order of the Prime Minister based on a nomination by the minister.
2․ The rank of the representatives of the government entities in the board must not be less than the 12th rank or its equivalent.
3․ The term of membership in the board is three years, renewable once.
4․ The chairman shall choose a deputy from among the members of the board from the representatives of government entities, except for the chief executive officer.
Article 6
The board is the supreme authority over the affairs of the authority, its management, and the conduct of its business, and shall take all the necessary decisions to achieve its objectives within the limits of the provisions of the system, and in particular, it may carry out the following:
1․ Approving proposals for identifying and updating strategic commodities, and adopting them in accordance with the established legal procedures.
2․ Approving proposals for draft laws, regulations, policies, and strategies related to food security, in preparation for submitting them.
3․ Approving the criteria, procedures, controls, and requirements for the storage of strategic commodities, and the licenses issued by the authority in accordance with its mandates.
4․ Approving the public policies, strategies, plans, and programs of the authority.
5․ Determining the fees for the work and services it provides.
6․ Approving the frameworks, rules, criteria, controls, and performance measurement indicators related to the work of the authority.
7․ Approving the organisational structure and guide of the authority.
8․ Approving the financial, administrative, and other regulations necessary for the conduct of the business and affairs of the authority, provided that the approval of the administrative regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the approval of the financial regulations and provisions with financial impact in other regulations is in agreement with the Ministry of Finance.
9․ Approving the draft budget of the authority, its final account, the accounts auditor report, and the annual report, in preparation for submitting them in accordance with the legal procedures.
10․ Appointing one (or more) certified external auditor and an internal financial controller.
11․ Approving the signing of agreements, memorandums of understanding, protocols, and contracts, in accordance with the established legal procedures.
12․ Approving the establishment of branches and offices of the authority within the Kingdom.
13․ Accepting gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and awqaf, which are submitted to the authority in accordance with the provisions governing this.
14․ Reviewing the periodic reports submitted on the progress of work in the authority and taking the necessary decisions in their regard.
15․ Approving the investment of the funds of the authority in order to achieve its objectives, in accordance with the provisions governing this.
The board may form standing or temporary committees from among its members or others, to which it assigns the tasks it deems fit. The decision to form each committee must specify its chairman, members, and mandates, and it may seek the assistance of whomever it deems fit to perform the tasks entrusted to it.
The board may delegate some of its mandates—except for the mandates mentioned in paragraphs 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 15 of this article—to the chairman of the board or to any of its members or authority personnel it deems fit.
Article 7
1․ The board shall meet—periodically—at least three times a year, whenever the need arises as determined by the chairman or his deputy, or if requested by at least a third of its members.
2․ The invitation to the meeting must be sent by the chairman or his deputy—in writing—at least seven days before the date of the meeting, and the invitation must include the agenda.
3․ The meetings of the board must be held at the headquarters of the authority. It is permitted—by a decision by the chairman—to hold the meeting in any other place inside the Kingdom.
4․ The validity of the meeting requires the presence of at least a majority of the members, including the chairman or his deputy.
Decisions must be issued by at least a majority of the votes of those in attendance. In the event of a tie, the side with which the chairman of the meeting votes prevails.
5․ It is not permitted for any member to abstain from voting, or to authorize another to vote on his behalf in his absence.
6․ The deliberations and decisions of the board must be recorded in minutes signed by the chairman of the meeting and the members in attendance A member may record his objection with reasons in the minutes of the board meeting.
7․ The chairman or his deputy may invite whomever he deems competent and of expertise to attend the meetings of the board, and to provide information, opinion, and advice, without having the right to vote.
8․ It is permitted—when necessary, and at the discretion of the chairman—for meetings to be held and voted on remotely using technology. Decisions may be made by circulation among the members, and they must be signed to indicate that all members have reviewed them. Decisions issued in this manner are not valid unless they are circulated and voted upon by all members of the board and obtain a majority of their votes.
9․ The board must have a secretary from among the authority personnel selected by the chairman based on the nomination of the chief executive officer. He shall assume the secretariat of the board, prepare for the meetings, and record the minutes, deliberations, and decisions. He shall attend the meetings of the board without having the right to vote.
Article 8
The authority must have a chief executive officer, appointed and relieved from his position by a decision by the board. He must be responsible for managing the affairs of the authority, and his responsibilities must be focused within the limits of the system and decisions of the board. He shall undertake the following mandates:
1․ Proposing the public policies, strategies, plans, and programs of the authority, submitting them to the board for approval, and following up on their implementation after their approval.
2․ Proposing the identification and updating of strategic commodities, and submitting them to the board for approval, in preparation for their adoption in accordance with the legal procedures.
3․ Proposing frameworks, rules, criteria, controls, and performance measurement indicators related to the work of the authority, and submitting them to the board for approval.
4․ Proposing the organisational structure and guide of the authority and its administrative, financial, and internal regulations, in preparation for submitting them to the board.
5․ Supervising the progress of work in the authority through the regulations and decisions approved by the board.
6․ Supervising the preparation of the annual report of the authority, its draft budget, and its final account, in preparation for submitting them to the board.
7․ Supervising the preparation of reports on the implementation of the plans and programs of the authority, in preparation for submitting them to the board.
8․ Submitting periodic reports to the board on the work, achievements, and activities of the authority.
9․ Appointing and supervising the employees of the authority in accordance with the regulations of the authority.
10․ Issuing orders for the expenses of the authority, in accordance with the financial regulations of the authority.
11․ Following up on the implementation of the decisions issued by the board.
12․ Representing the authority before the judiciary, government entities, other relevant institutions, and other entities inside the Kingdom, and he may delegate others to do so.
13․ Approving the necessary plans and programs for training and scholarships internally and externally, and following up on their implementation.
14․ Holding conferences, seminars, and meetings relating to the objectives of the authority, in accordance with the established legal procedures.
15․ Issuing the necessary decisions to implement the provisions contained in the system and the regulations, in accordance with the powers entrusted to him by the board.
16․ Contracting with consultancy offices, think tanks, and experts, within the limits of the activity of the authority, in accordance with the provisions specified in the regulations of the authority.
17․ Any other mandates assigned to him by the board.
The chief executive officer may delegate some of his mandates to the authority personnel he deems fit.
Article 9
1․ The financial resources of the authority consist of the following:
(a) The appropriations allocated to it in the general budget of the state.
(b) The fees it receives for the works and services it provides.
(c) Returns on investments of financial resources and assets available to the authority.
(d) Gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and awqaf accepted by the board, in accordance with the provisions governing this.
(e) Any other resource approved by the board, provided that it does not violate the laws and instructions.
2․ All revenues of the authority must be deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance in the Saudi Central Bank.
3․ The authority shall open an account in the Saudi Central Bank. It may open other accounts in any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom. Disbursements from these accounts must be made in accordance with the budget of the authority.
Article 10
1․ The authority must have an independent annual budget, which must be prepared and issued in accordance with the Arrangements for Issuing the General Budget of the State.
2․ The financial year of the authority is the financial year of the state.
Article 11
The authority personnel are subject to the provisions of the Labor Law and the Social Insurance Law.
Article 12
The authority shall submit its annual final account to the Council of Ministers within 90 days from the end of the financial year, and a copy of it must be provided to the General Court of Audit.
Article 13
The authority shall submit to the Prime Minister, within 90 days from the end of the financial year, an annual report on its achievements during the past year, the difficulties it has faced, and any proposals it deems necessary to improve the conduct of business.
Article 14
Without prejudice to the mandate of the General Court of Audit, the board shall appoint one or more external account auditors licensed to work in the Kingdom to audit the accounts of the authority, its financial transactions, its annual budget, and its final account, and the board shall determine his fees. The report of the accounts auditor must be submitted to the board, and a copy of it must be provided to the General Court of Audit.
Article 15
The system must be published in the official gazette, and comes into force on the date of its publication.
Published in Umm Al-Qura 5091 issued on 4 June 2025.
