Muscat – A comprehensive plan for the RO903.19mn Al Najd Agricultural City in Thumrait, a large-scale food security project expected to produce about 105,000 tonnes of agricultural output annually and create 6,500 jobs, was unveiled at the Food Security Forum and Exhibition in Salalah on Monday.

Presented by Dar Al Handasah at the forum, the project will span 54mn sqm and is expected to contribute nearly RO125mn a year to the GDP once fully developed.

Implementation is planned in three investment phases between 2030 and 2060 through a public-private partnership model.

The development is envisioned as an integrated agricultural hub incorporating modern farms, research centres of excellence, photovoltaic technologies and advanced water management systems.

Organised by Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Dhofar branch in partnership with Dhofar Governor’s Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, the forum was opened by H H Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar, and will run till August 15.

The forum highlights the growing contribution of agriculture and fisheries to Oman’s economy. Total plant, animal and fish production recorded average annual growth of 6.9% between 2020 and 2025, while the sector’s GDP at constant prices reached RO1.133bn in 2025.

Plant production grew at an annual average of 7.8%, animal production 5.4% and fisheries 4.2%.

Oman’s self-sufficiency levels in 2024 reached 146% for fish, 99% for dates, 95% for table eggs and 79% for vegetables. The rate stood at 45% for red meat and 24% for fruit.

Financing is also being expanded to support food security investment. Development Bank said it approved 3,740 projects worth RO67.7mn in 2025, followed by 1,512 projects worth RO23mn during the first half of 2026.

In Dhofar alone, the bank financed 620 projects worth RO7.3mn last year and 315 projects valued at RO4.4mn in the first six months of 2026.

Long-term loans can reach RO5mn and up to RO7mn for high-value projects outside Muscat, with subsidised interest rates of 3% and repayment periods of up to 15 years.

The forum also outlines investor incentives including renewable usufruct rights of up to 50 years, grace periods and the ability to mortgage usufruct rights for financing.

Several usufruct contracts for food security projects were signed during the opening day, while an accompanying exhibition in Attin will showcase national products and agricultural technologies.

On the sidelines of the forum, Salalah is being celebrated for receiving international recognition as a resilient city from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and a healthy city from the World Health Organization.

Ten usufruct contracts worth RO2mn signed

Salalah – The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning signed ten agricultural usufruct contracts for projects in the agriculture and livestock sectors across Dhofar, with a total investment value exceeding RO2mn, on Tuesday.

The projects will cover more than 8.4sqkm distributed across the wilayats of Maqshin, Thumrait, Shaleem and the Hallaniyat Islands.

The contracts include projects for crop cultivation, watermelon and cantaloupe production, poultry farming, and seasonal and non-seasonal agricultural activities.

The agreements were signed on the sidelines of the Food Security Forum and Exhibition 2026 in Salalah, which is focusing on investment opportunities, financing and modern technologies in agriculture, fisheries and food sectors.