Muscat – In an effort to support farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) restored 35 aflaj across four governorates in the first half of 2023. 

According to an official at MAFWR, 22 aflaj were restored in South Batinah, six in Musandam, five in North Sharqiyah and two in Dakhliyah.

The primary objective of aflaj maintenance is to bolster the water sector in the sultanate and provide vital support to farmers, the official said.  Aflaj, being traditional water sources, have been instrumental in irrigation activities for generations. Their types vary based on the geological and hydrological characteristics of each region.

Currently, the sultanate is home to a total of 4,112 aflaj spread across governorates. 

In June 2023, a total of 720 water licences were issued. These licences include requests for well registration, dam registration, aflaj management, well drilling, and development projects in different governorates.

The ministry official further elaborated on the distribution of licences across the governorates. The highest number of licences – 194 – were issued in Dhahirah, followed by 179 in Dakhliyah, 92 in North Sharqiyah, 80 in North Batinah, 77 in South Batinah, 46 in Buraimi, 23 in Muscat, 18 in South Sharqiyah, eight in Al Wusta, two in Musandam, and one in Dhofar.

Water production in Oman witnessed a 5% increase to 512,199.3mn m3 at the end of December 2022 compared to 487,715mn m3 in 2021. Dhofar and Muscat governorates experienced notable rises of 9.3% and 6.9% in water production, respectively.