RIYADH: Agricultural development program Reef Saudi is backing Lomi Hasawi, an exhibition dedicated to the lime fruit that grows in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia.

Reef Saudi, formally known as the Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, which is participating at the event as a gold sponsor, is a government entity supporting agricultural development in the Kingdom.

The lime is widely grown in the Eastern Province, particularly in the Al-Ahsa Oasis, and locals have been farming it for centuries, passing down knowledge of how to care for and cultivate the citrus fruit.

Lomi Hasawi Exhibition, organized by the Al-Ahsa Chamber, runs until Sept. 6. 

Reef Saudi spokesman Majed Al-Buraikan said the program, which helps producers with tools and capabilities, had provided SR342,000 to the lime sector in the province, benefiting 89 farmers. 

And that support has boosted production to over 122,400 tons, he told the Saudi Press Agency. 

The fruit sector is a key focus for the program, which aims to diversify local agricultural production, raise efficiency, and contribute to achieving self-sufficiency, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, according to SPA. 

RIYADH: Eradah Mental Health Complex has emphasized the critical need for psychological support for students returning to classrooms in the coming weeks, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

Eradah identified several factors crucial to good mental health: the family’s role, the school’s institutional responsibility, and proactive steps from students themselves.

Families must help cultivate reassurance through structured home environments, the center said.

Parents should also involve children in preparations for school and exhibit enthusiasm for learning, while encouraging independence and social connections, it added.

Schools also bear equal responsibility in creating psychologically safe environments in which mistakes are treated as natural learning components rather than grounds for punishment, Eradah added.

The Riyadh-based center said that educators needed to praise effort regardless of outcomes, and deploy interactive teaching methods to reduce academic stress.

Another important responsibility included monitoring behavioral changes for early intervention, it said.

Family partnerships should be established for student support and comparisons that foster negative competition should be rejected and learning differences respected, Eradah added.

Students are urged to approach the academic year as a new opportunity by setting realistic goals, maintaining positive relationships with peers and teachers, and balancing studies with recreation through organized schedules.

Eradah emphasized that schools and teachers now hold unparalleled influence over the mental health of students, describing their role as fundamental and no less important than families in building resilient personalities.