Microindustries

Economic and community projects

We believe that people are the most important source of energy, and we see their potential to shape the future. When given the right opportunities, people thrive, and can drive economic growth and prosperity for themselves, their communities, and the environment.

We provide people with access to such opportunities. 

Our initiatives to seed microindustries in the Kingdom are designed to support people to shape their economic future, and leverage traditional crafts and natural resources. We have identified several microindustries that we believe, with the right business model and support, can stimulate traditional crafts as viable businesses, and enable local communities to thrive. 



As part of this initiative, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a center for coffee production, the National Coffee Development Center (NCDC). The Center aims to increase coffee production by improving its research and developing its local market. It will support coffee farmers during every stage of production and train them in best practices. The Center also aims to increase community awareness of local coffee production and elevate the Saudi coffee industry.



In 2016, we collaborated with multiple academic partners, including King Khaled University in Aseer. The aim of these collaborations was to explore opportunities to expand the production of honey, and its byproducts such as propolis, bee venom, and wax – which have medicinal properties. To tap into the area's potential, we built queen bee stations which currently produce 120 tons of honey, and are expected to produce 150 tons annually by 2022.

Al-Bahah, one of the region's cities, is now home to more than 3,000 beekeepers. Following the success of the project so far, we expanded our honey initiative to Aseer and Taif in 2019, and Al Madinah in 2021.

 



From coffee farming to beekeeping, Aramco continues to expand its citizenship efforts and support the development of more sustainable, thriving microindustries. In turn, this development will help support local communities to shape their future and preserve local traditional crafts for future generations.