It may sound too good to be true, but it’s real: a fish production in the middle of the desert. In my previous blog, you may recall the salt production in the middle of the desert. During my second trip to the northern towns of Riyadh Province, I visited Lana Fish Farm. Here, I discovered this surprising fish production, supposedly done in a lake, river, or at least in a wetland area where land surface water is available. Oddly, salt and freshwater fish production is all in one location: Qasab, Shaqra City, and Riyadh Province.
Using bio floc technology, Lana Fish Farm produces tons of Tilapia fish, contributing to the supply of freshwater fish in Riyadh and the nearby regions and provinces.
With the number of tons of fresh Tilapia the farm has been producing annually, Lana Fish Farm is one of the significant fish suppliers at the kingdom’s wet markets, catering to the demand for freshwater fish supply in Riyadh alone; there is no doubt that the fish we prepare and put on the table is from Lana.
The inevitable increase in population entails challenges to the sufficiency of the food supply that could cope with the rise in demand and consumption. This has to be balanced with accessibility so that everyone can afford to put food on their tables. To mitigate, if not possibly eliminate, hunger in the marginalized sectors of society, the use of modern technology in the agriculture sectors could be a solution.
I must admit that I was deeply amazed when I learned that Saudi Arabia is producing its fish supply through private farmers like Lana. It was such a relief to know that the freshwater fish I am buying at the market is fresh from our own backyard because I had thought all along that the supplies were imported from Egypt.
Visiting Lana Fish Farm requires more than two hours from Riyadh's city center to the Al Qasab village. Head towards the El Ekreshiya Lake (a seasonal-rain-fed lake). Drive straight forward past the lake until you reach the Ad Dabbiyat Al Janubiyat area. Take the road to the left; from the entry point, the farm is more or less two kilometers further on the right side.
Use Google direction to reach the location easily: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kingdom+Centre,+Kingdom+Centre,+King+Fahd+Road,+Riyadh/98VM%2BMC+%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%B1%D8%B9%D8%A9+%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%A7+%D9%84%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%83,+Ad+Dabbiyat+al+Janubiyat+15548%E2%80%AD/@24.9502077,45.34445,204355m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x3e2f03280e046f99:0x37737eab160a212!2m2!1d46.6743951!2d24.7113828!1m5!1m1!1s0x3e2a5f3df71c2649:0x9fd5972957b7d6c!2m2!1d45.3335914!2d25.3941754?entry=ttu
Credit: Lana Fish Farm
Ad Dabbiyat Al Janubiyat, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabi
Contact No. (+966) 050 135 1000