Oman ramps up investment efforts for food security

Rustaq: Oman is eyeing investments in the farm, livestock, and fisheries sectors to become self-sufficient in food production.

As part of the food security plan, 65 investment opportunities with a total value of more than OMR30 million has been undertaken until the first half of this year in South Al Batinah Governorate in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning.

Amer bin Humaid al Shibli, Director General of the General Directorate of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources in South Al Batinah, said that these projects are aimed at achieving food security in the Sultanate of Oman in many fields, such as poultry, dairy, honey and agricultural production.

He added that plots of land have been offered in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning to establish projects in the South Al Batinah Governorate.

Investment opportunities will be offered in the coming period to raise local breeds such as sheep and goats, and a centre will be established for buying and selling fodder.

In addition, some qualitative projects will be offered for those wishing to invest in organic agriculture and algae.

He explained that an investment opportunity will also be offered to establish an integrated centre with training workshops for producing rural women’s products, which will contribute to their development in the South Al Batinah Governorate.

In the fisheries sector, the Director General of the General Directorate of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources, explained that investment opportunities will be offered for fish farming to raise specific types of fish, which are expected to contribute to meet the local market needs.

In the water and food sector, opportunities will be offered to establish dates factory and bee research station in the Wilayat of Rustaq.

He pointed out that during the years 2022 and 2023, contracts were signed with a number of investors to establish a number of projects in the field of food security in the South Al Batinah Governorate, most notably a number of mango farms in the Wilayat of Barka with an area of more than 360 acres, the establishment of a factory for packaging and packing of dates and a bee museum in the Wilayat of Barka, in addition to establishing projects to produce soil-enhancing fertilisers using and recycling waste and establishing projects to produce seedlings and offshoots in the Wilayat of Barka.