Muscat – Oman has made significant strides towards self-sufficiency in various essential commodities, according to the latest annual report of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR).

The report shows that Oman has achieved 151% self-sufficiency in fish, 97% in dates, 88% in milk, 77% in vegetables, 61% in poultry meat, 59% in table eggs, 44% in red meat and 22% in fruits.

To enhance food security, the ministry launched an investment programme in 2021 to create a strategic stockpile of basic goods. This programme included 102 projects valued at RO1.3bn, along with 26 related initiatives. In 2023, Food Security Laboratories introduced 11 new investment projects worth RO83mn.

MAFWR’s goals are to ensure the availability of food during emergencies, such as climate crises and disasters, to stabilise food prices, and to cushion the impact of global economic fluctuations.

Towards these goals, the ministry has established a network of 48 warehouses across various governorates to store essential items like wheat, rice, sugar, lentils, tea, powdered milk and edible oil.

In 2023, the ministry secured 124,000 tonnes of lentils, 4,000 tonnes of sugar and 12,000 tonnes of rice. Food shipments received through Oman’s ports totalled 57,215 tonnes.

The annual report also highlighted the signing of three international agreements in 2023. These include a partnership with Fisheries Development Oman to manage a fish farming centre, development of microalgae cultivation in Oman, and  updating the sultanate’s data in global databases such as SealifeBase and FishBase to improve environmental performance.

Oman’s agricultural sector also saw growth in 2023, with agricultural land expanding to 293,000 acres, up from 286,000 acres in 2022. The country has 5.5mn acres of land suitable for agricultural reclamation, representing 7.5% of Oman’s total area.

To support food production further, MAFWR plans to offer 108 investment opportunities this year in collaboration with Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. These initiatives are part of a development programme aimed at boosting production of various food crops.

In a related development, Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning has announced six new investment opportunities through the Tatwir platform. These opportunities involve leasing land for agricultural projects in Dhahirah covering a total of 27 acres. The projects include cultivation of cucurbits and Omani garlic in the Khabra area of Ibri, besides date production.

These initiatives are expected to boost Oman’s agricultural sector and encourage investors to participate in viable agricultural projects in alignment with the goals of Oman Vision 2040.