Date production in the Al-Hassa region, Saudi Arabia in the face of climate change

One of the major crops produced in Saudi Arabia is the date palm tree, Phoenix dactylifera L., as it can tolerate the harsh desert climate. One of the largest palm production areas in Saudi Arabia is the Al-Hassa oases, it has approximately 3 million date palms. However, by the end of the 21st century (2071–2100), climate change impacts will create a strain on the date production industry in the Al-Hassa region. Therefore, current practices need to be altered and various strategies must be adopted as changing the industry or moving regions are not viable options. This paper examines the impact of possible global warming based on various general circulation models, regional climate models, and scenarios developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emission Scenarios on the climate in Al-Hassa by mid and end of the century. This paper discusses how these effects may impact date production and its distribution in the study area based on the resources available and on an individual, community, regional, national, and global scale. Possible options for sustaining the industry and what barriers or limitations may be faced by the proposed adaptation measures are discussed in this paper. HIGHLIGHTS There are no current studies specific to climate change effects on date production in Al-Hassa.; The region presents a unique challenge as it has springs and aquifers.; Actions need to be made to conserve agricultural production as there are not many other local production.; Prospects for better water management and agricultural practices need to be addressed.; Dates are one of the most important socioeconomic crops in Saudi Arabia.;