RIYADH: The Saudi man behind the green project that ensured 3,400 trees in Khurais in the Eastern Province for a government firm has been approached by a Kuwaiti oil company for a similar project.

“After learning about the project in the Eastern Province that aims to protect the environment, officials of the Kuwaiti oil company called us,” Ibrahim Alalim told Arab News on Friday.

If the project pushes through, his company — Estefa Group — will plant different varieties of saplings with the use of a super absorbent polymer which he invented.

The super absorbent polymer could absorb water quantities up to 600 times its weight. It could thus double the production of rice, fruit trees, vegetables and cereals. Accordingly, the product has received international awards for its success.

Alalim said he was hoping to meet next week with officials of the Kuwait Petrol Company to discuss the project. “We could plant up to 10,000 saplings of different varieties if necessary. These include cedar, acacia, neem, jatropha and moringa,” he said.

Asked if he has enough saplings for the project, he said that there are nurseries in the Kingdom as well as in Kuwait for the seedlings.