Announcements & Events

King Khalid University, represented by the College of Applied Sciences in Al-Majardah, signed a memorandum of understanding with Ghosn Farm to cooperate in the smart agriculture program at the college, as part of the college's efforts to establish educational programs in agriculture that serve the Al-Majardah region, meet the requirements of the labor market, and are in line with the vision of developing the Asir region and Vision 2030, which aims to achieve sustainable development, with agriculture at the top of its priorities. The signing of the agreement with Ghosn Rural Farm came in the belief in the pioneering role played by the college as a leading educational institution in the field of applied education and training. This agreement aims to strengthen partnerships with various sectors to achieve sustainable development and develop national capabilities in the fields of smart agriculture and sustainable agriculture, as the college has specialized study programs in this field at the diploma level. This partnership is considered a first step towards expanding the college's smart agriculture educational programs in the future, whether the diploma or bachelor's program, by building relationships with agricultural companies and branches of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in the Al-Majardah region. Ghosn Rural Farm is distinguished by its extensive practical experience in growing tropical trees and seasonal agricultural crops, in addition to applying the latest technologies in agriculture. Accordingly, the two parties agreed to enhance cooperation between them through the exchange of expertise and knowledge, the development of human capabilities, and the activation of the role of scientific research and practical applications in the fields of smart agriculture, which contributes to advancing development in the region and enhancing the position of both parties. The MoU includes several main areas of cooperation, including academic fields that aim to develop and implement joint study programs in smart agriculture and sustainable agriculture, and research fields that focus on cooperation in conducting scientific research to improve agricultural production using modern technologies. The training fields also include organizing training programs to develop the skills of students and national cadres in smart agriculture applications, in addition to applied fields that aim to exchange experiences in applying smart agriculture technologies to improve production quality, and development fields that focus on developing new programs that meet the needs of the labor market and contribute to achieving sustainable development. Under this agreement, the Applied College will work to update the curricula to be compatible with smart agriculture technologies, provide academic support and guidance to students, and organize courses and workshops to qualify students. It will also participate in research and studies in cooperation with the farm, and prepare periodic reports to evaluate academic and research performance. On the other hand, Ghosn Rural Farm will provide field training opportunities for students, and facilitate research by providing the necessary environment and equipment. It will also contribute to the exchange of expertise and knowledge with the college, and support joint initiatives by organizing events that promote smart agriculture, and participating in the development of joint agricultural programs. This memorandum is an important step towards enhancing cooperation between education and practical reality in the field of agriculture, which contributes to advancing development in the region, and enhances the position of both parties in this vital field. Ghosn Rural Farm constitutes an ideal environment for training and scientific application, as it includes a variety of tropical fruits and aromatic plants, in addition to the presence of a nursery containing rare plants and types of indigenous palm trees, which provides students with an integrated and unique practical experience. The farm is also an extension of the laboratories and nursery in the college, where students can conduct field visits that allow them to apply what they learn theoretically in a realistic agricultural environment. This contributes to enhancing their skills in collecting healthy samples and those infected with physiological pests and diseases, and diagnosing them in the field using modern agricultural practices such as fertilization and integrated pest management. From the laboratory side, this partnership will enable students to conduct applied scientific experiments that include isolating pathogens and identifying them in the laboratory, and developing effective solutions to combat them, which enhances their ability to deal with agricultural challenges with high efficiency within the framework of the smart agriculture program. In addition, the college at the Applied College in Al-Majardah has a computer department that plays a major role in the field of smart technologies and the use of artificial intelligence. This will allow integration between the smart agriculture program and technological innovations, which enhances the student experience and increases the effectiveness of modern agricultural applications. The CEO of the college, Dr. Maha Mohammed Al-Shahri, expressed her happiness at signing this agreement, saying that the partnership with Ghosn Farm represents a qualitative shift in education and scientific research in agriculture in Al-Majardah Governorate and the region, as the college will benefit from training female students within its agricultural program as well as in research related to new products, pest and insect control, and everything that serves the agricultural sector in Al-Majardah.