WADI AL-DAWASIR — The fertile region of Wadi Al-Dawasir is one of the Kingdom's key agricultural centers, which produces a variety of crops including tomatoes, potatoes and watermelons. Traders from different parts of the country visit the governorate to purchase fruit and vegetables. Farmers have called on the authorities to set up a central market in Wadi Al-Dawasir to promote their produce. They also called for organizing annual agricultural festivals in the region with set objectives. "The festivals would attract a large number of traders and families from different parts of the Kingdom," said farmer Abdullah Al-Sharafi to Okaz/Saudi Gazette. "The establishment of a model market will protect the crops from exposure to intense heat and subsequent decay." He emphasized the significance of such a market to strengthen the national economy and boost the country's agricultural sector. "Wadi Al-Dawasir lacks basic infrastructure," he said. "We need a new municipality to look after the eastern portion of the city and reduce the burden on the existing municipality," Al-Sharafi said. "The governorate, especially its eastern part, requires a market for agricultural crops, including fruit and vegetables." Agricultural fields in Wadi Al-Dawasir produce different crops throughout the year. After harvesting one crop, farmers start cultivation of another. Al-Sharafi urged the mayor of Riyadh to take steps to meet the infrastructural requirements of Wadi Al-Dawasir. Mohammed Al-Dossari, another farmer, also emphasized the need for a central market in the governorate and urged the authorities to materialize their dream quickly. "Crops damaged by the heat and dust cause huge losses to the farmers," he said. "We have been hearing about the plan to set up a central market by the municipality for several years," Al-Dossari said, adding that such a market will help farmers to market their produce without hassle. He said Riyadh Municipality could establish a central market in Wadi Al-Dawasir, making use of the revenue from the annual watermelon festival. He also invited the attention of the authorities to the city's poor road system. "The potholes in the road cause frequent traffic accidents." Al-Dossari stressed the need to establish a new municipality to accelerate the development process in the governorate, especially its eastern side that houses 60 percent of the population and covers 75 percent of land. "The present municipality is unable to take care of 150,000 people living in a geographical area of 48,900 square kilometers," Al-Dossari said, adding that the creation of a new municipality would increase budget allocations for new projects in the city. The governorate suffers from a lack of drinking water and sewage system. This has resulted in the appearance of swamps in various parts of the city. Salim Saeed said the new municipal service office in the eastern part of the city meets only 10 percent of the city's requirements because of its poor capabilities. "I propose the division of the governorate into east and west and set up an independent municipality for the east to boost development.
