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This study aimed to identify the economic dimension of directing treated wastewater to the production of green fodder. To achieve its objectives, the study relied on economic equations, the method of using multiple criteria, and a scoring technique for prioritization. The study showed that green fodder is a crop that depletes water, as it consumes about 67.27% of the water used for agricultural purposes. In determining the priority of regions intending to use treated wastewater, the ranking put Riyadh region first, followed by the eastern region, the Qassim region, Hail, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Tabuk, Asir, Al-Jawf, Jizan, Madinah, Najran, the northern borders, and Al-Baha, in this order. The area that can be cultivated with forage crops is estimated to be about 53.05 thousand hectares, with a production of 953.75 thousand tons. The cost of treating wastewater to make it usable amounts to 2126.22 million riyals, while the value of the benefits gained from its use is 2508.95 million riyals; thus, the Saudi agricultural economy achieves a net gain estimated at about 382.73 million riyals annually. Therefore, this study recommends the use of treated wastewater in the production of green fodder.

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Augmented vector autoregressive model was applied to analyze the dynamic relationship between threetime series which includes the areas cultivated with dates, clover and fodder in Saudi Arabia. The application study relied on time series data from 1986 to 2013. The unit root test indicated that the areas cultivated with the three crops are stationary at the first differences. Information criteria showed the optimal lag and according to results of Wald test, the model can be used. The implementation of resolution No. 335 and the linear trend has significant effect on the first difference of the areas cultivated with clover as well as cultivated with fodder. Model was used for forecasting the areas from 2014 to 2018, and noted that the areas cultivated with dates will annually increase with rate 0.3% and the expected mean of water consumption is 2837.6 million m 3 annually, the areas cultivated with clover will annually decrease with rate 1.6% and the expected mean of water consumption is 3708.4 million m 3 annually, and the areas cultivated with fodder will annually decrease with rate 15% and the expected mean of water consumption is 3999.6 million m 3 annually. KEYWORDS

This study develops a strategy for the production of maize in Saudi Arabia by examining the current situation, determining priority regions, and providing economic guidance for land resources used in maize production. This study uses the methodology of point estimation and linear programming. The results of study suggested that current maize production is concentrated only in the Arabian Shield areas (Makkah, Madinah, Jazan, Asir, Najran, and Al Baha), which are low productivity areas. The share of cultivated area and maize production in these areas is 86.51% and 79.13%, respectively. Further, result of study revealed that Hail ranked first among priority regions for maize production, this was followed by Qassim, Al-Jawf, Riyadh, and Sharqia. Result of study also suggested that economic guidancefor land resources of 17,840 hectares derived using linear programming leads to a decrease in water use by 37.7%, an increase in maize production by 79.95%, a decrease in the quantity of imports by 1.9%, and an increase in the self-sufficiency ratio from 2.32% to 4.16%. Result of study recommends that Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture review the policy of maize production by shifting maize cultivation to areas with high and medium productivity in priority regions and considering economic guidance for land resources used in maize production.