Wakaa Center

What Wakaa Center does

Wakaa Center (Weqaa Center) is a Saudi Arabian government entity established in 2021 by Cabinet Resolution No. 152 as the National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases. It operates as an administratively and financially independent body under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, with the Minister chairing its Board of Directors. The Center's mandate covers surveillance, prevention, and control of plant pests (notably the red palm weevil and desert locust) and animal diseases (including Rift Valley Fever, Brucellosis, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, and rabies) across the Kingdom, with operational scope spanning all Saudi provinces via headquarters in Riyadh and regional branches including in Makkah, Najran, and Al-Qassim.

The Center's core technology stack centers on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), biological control methods (predators, parasitoids, microbial agents), remote sensing, drone surveillance, and a National Plant Pest Monitoring Plan 2025-2027 that tracks 61 plant pests through 30 quarantine pest monitoring programs and 22 regulated non-quarantine pest programs. Its service portfolio includes livestock vaccination appointment booking via integration with the Enaam platform, priority plant pest detection and diagnosis, poultry housing permits, red palm weevil early detection, biosecurity oversight, desert locust control, and a specialized Biological Control and Bumblebee Production Center in Al-Qassim (inaugurated May 2023 on a 16-hectare site). It also operates the National Observatory for Plant and Animal Health, which coordinates research, and delivers services through an electronic portal (weqaa.gov.sa), mobile applications with GPS tracking, field service teams, and the national Nafith unified access platform.

The Center is fully government-funded through budget allocation under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, providing services at no direct cost to beneficiaries. Its customer base is diversified across Saudi Arabia's agricultural sector (farmers, date palm growers), livestock sector (breeders with Enaam platform registration), poultry farms, and government entities. Distribution is executed through direct-to-government service delivery: electronic self-serve portals, regional branch offices, field service teams, and integration with national platforms (Nafith, Enaam). The entity has no private shareholders, no external investors, and operates within the Vision 2030 food security framework under a public service model rather than a commercial revenue model.

Name

Wakaa Center

Legal name

المركز الوطني للوقاية من الآفات النباتية والأمراض الحيوانية ومكافحتها (Weqaa Center - National Center for the Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases)

Website

https://weqaa.gov.sa

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wakaa Center (Weqaa Center) is a Saudi government entity, established 2021, that protects the Kingdom's plant and animal wealth from pests and diseases through Integrated Pest Management, biological control, livestock vaccination programs, and surveillance infrastructure serving farmers, livestock owners, and poultry farms nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Biosecurity and Animal Disease Control

NAICS

Exterminating and Pest Control Services (561710), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAMAJAO

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Veterinary & Animal Health/Animal Health Public Health, Regulators & Disease Control

SECONDARYAFAEALAI

Biosecurity, Sanitation & Pest Control Services for Animal Facilities

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Animal Welfare, Boarding & Production Support Services (non-veterinary)

SECONDARYBPABADAK

Grounds Pest & Mosquito Control (Outdoor)

Business & Public Services/Facilities Management & Building Services/Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance

Keywords

• Plant pest control
• Animal disease prevention
• Integrated pest management
• Agricultural biosecurity services
• Livestock vaccination services

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Center is funded through government budget as a public service entity under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, providing services at no direct cost to beneficiaries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wakaa Center is a Saudi government entity that provides electronic and field services for the prevention and control of plant pests and animal diseases across Saudi Arabia. Its core offerings include livestock vaccination appointment booking, priority plant pest detection and diagnosis, poultry housing permits, red palm weevil early detection and treatment, integrated pest management programs, desert locust surveillance and control, biosecurity services, and biological control agent production through the Al-Qassim facility.

Product overview

Wakaa Center (National Center for Prevention and Control of Plant Pests and Animal Diseases) is a Saudi government entity offering a comprehensive suite of electronic services for plant and animal health protection. The platform provides core services including livestock vaccination appointment booking, priority plant pest detection and diagnosis, poultry housing permits, and red palm weevil early detection. The center operates specialized programs including desert locust control, biological control with bumblebee production, integrated pest management, and priority disease/pest surveillance. It also maintains the National Observatory for Plant and Animal Health for research coordination and operates under a One Health framework linking human, animal, and environmental health. Services are delivered through electronic portals for both individual beneficiaries and business entities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• National Observatory for Plant and Animal Health: The observatory is responsible for organizing and coordinating research and scientific efforts related to plant and animal health, compiling and reviewing studies, research and experiments to structure the research process and lead to scientific publication.
• Biological Control and Bumblebee Production Center

Products and services

• Livestock Vaccination Appointment Booking

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced red palm weevil infestation rate from 7% (1993) to less than 1% (present)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical partnership for developing national strategy for red palm weevil prevention based on global best practices. FAO provides international expertise and technical guidance for plant pest management programs.
• International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational standard-setting body for plant health. Center fulfills Kingdom's commitments under IPPC agreements for plant protection.
• Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organization supporting plant protection efforts in the Near East and North Africa region. Collaboration on pest monitoring and control.
• Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region (CRC)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional body coordinating desert locust control efforts. Center participates in regional monitoring and control programs.
• World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational animal health authority. WOAH granted Saudi Arabia official freedom from viral arteritis in horses and approved Saudi Arabia's rabies control program.
• Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerArab regional organization supporting agricultural development. Collaboration on agricultural health initiatives.
• Ministry of Environment, Water and AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent ministry providing oversight and policy direction. Center operates under the ministry's board chaired by the minister.
• Public Authority for General Imaging (Radi) - Nafith PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with national unified access platform for citizen authentication and service access.
• Enaam Platform (Ministry)coreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with livestock breeder registration system for animal health services delivery.
• Vision 2030coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational strategic framework. Center contributes to Vision 2030 food security objectives through plant and animal health protection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA): UK agency responsible for animal and plant health policy, surveillance, pest/disease control, and biosecurity. Directly comparable in combining plant pest management, animal disease control, and international standards coordination (WOAH, EPPO).

Emerging players

• ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas): International research center focused on dry-area agriculture, including pest management and biodiversity in MENA. Comparable as a regional applied-research and capacity-building peer in IPM and rangeland pest control.

Regional players

• Near East Plant Protection Organization (NEPPO): Regional plant protection organization for the Near East and North Africa. Weqaa's regional coordination partner; comparable as a peer regional authority handling pest monitoring and cross-border plant health.
• Saudi Public Health Authority (Weqaya): Domestic Saudi public health authority represented on Weqaa's board. Comparable as a national public-sector body applying the One Health framework across human, animal, and environmental health in the Kingdom.

Others

• WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health): International animal health standards body and Weqaa partner. Comparable as the global authority whose accreditations (e.g., equine viral arteritis freedom, rabies program) directly determine Saudi Arabia's animal health regulatory standing.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations): Weqaa's strategic technical partner for IPM, red palm weevil strategy, and desert locust control. Comparable as the international coordinating body for plant/animal health standards and capacity building.
• Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA): Parent ministry that originally held plant pest responsibilities before transferring them to Weqaa in 2022. Comparable as the upstream policy and budget authority under which Weqaa operates.

Broad incumbents

• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): EU agency providing scientific advice on food safety, animal/plant health, and environmental risk. Comparable as a coordinating policy authority across plant and animal health with international standards alignment.
• Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry — Biosecurity: Australian biosecurity authority managing pest/disease prevention, surveillance, and import/export controls. Comparable in operating IPM, surveillance at scale, and One Health–style coordination across agriculture and environment.
• USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service): U.S. federal authority for animal and plant health with regulatory mandate, international coordination (WOAH, IPPC), surveillance programs, and pest/disease control operations. Most structurally comparable national authority to Weqaa, with a broader scope and global engagement model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/weqaacenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@weqaacenter?si=QyzKGnt2HG9Xm2mp
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/weqaa
• Instagraminstagram.com/weqaacenter?igsh=MWg5amlyYmNwNm94ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• TikToktiktok.com/@weqaacenter?_t=ZS-90UJ9Ni0xEb&_r=1
• Facebookfacebook.com/61560531256831

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wakaa Center