Khaberni - The Ministry of Local Administration said that the Land Use Regulation System for the year 2026 and the land use map, which was approved by the Cabinet yesterday, Sunday, aligns with the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II to enhance sustainable spatial planning, protect agricultural lands, and achieve a balance between development needs and the conservation of natural resources.
The Director of Comprehensive Planning at the ministry, Eman Al-Amawi, stated on Monday that the system aims to preserve agricultural areas outside regulatory boundaries, control urban expansions resulting from regulatory additions, and limit random industrial and residential expansion on fertile agricultural lands, in addition to supporting agricultural projects and regulating land uses and preventing land use alteration.
She pointed out that the system is based on the updated land use map, which classifies lands in terms of their suitability for agriculture, and provides accurate geographical spatial information that helps facilitate the work of decision-makers and reduce the time, effort, and cost on the concerned institutions, benefiting from developments in modern software and artificial intelligence applications.
She noted that the map has been updated using a scientific and participatory methodology, relying on the agricultural map prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, which was based on approximately 360,000 soil samples, covering various regions of the Kingdom, with soil property and salinity analysis.
She further noted that the updated map was prepared in partnership with a wide range of national bodies and institutions, containing 52 layers of data, to support making precise decisions, and mentioned the plan to launch a specialized electronic portal during the current year.
The system defines the classification of lands located outside regulatory boundaries in terms of their suitability for agriculture according to the land use map, regulates their uses, limits changes in land use or conversion, and ensures the provision of accurate geographic spatial information that aids in facilitating the work of decision-makers and reducing the time, effort, and cost on the institutions and bodies concerned.
