Jabal Akhdar – The first Figs and Olives Forum opened on Wednesday as part of the Jabal Akhdar Festival 2026, bringing together researchers and specialists to examine how agriculture, heritage and natural resources can support tourism, investment and sustainable development.

The two-day event, organised by Dakhliyah governorate in partnership with the Oman Memory Center, features 25 research papers presented by 24 researchers from government and private institutions.

Its launch comes as Jabal Akhdar records growing tourist interest. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information, the mountain received 101,608 visitors between January and June 2026, up 13.2% from 89,780 during the same period last year.

H E Dr Khalfan bin Saeed Al Shuaili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, presided over the opening.

The first day’s sessions explored the history and cultural heritage of Jabal Akhdar, manuscripts and historical documents, geography, geology, natural resources and ecotourism. Researchers also examined the area’s social and economic history, language and accounts left by travellers.

Thursday’s programme shifts towards development, agricultural heritage and tourism, including investment opportunities and ways of improving returns from local crops.

One study will examine the olive value chain and opportunities to increase its efficiency and economic returns. The forum is also looking at how traditional knowledge of agricultural land, water and natural-resource management can be combined with modern scientific practices.

Sheikh Mahmoud bin Rashid Al Saadi, Acting Governor of Dakhliyah, said the initiative seeks to turn Jabal Akhdar’s agricultural, natural and cultural assets into opportunities for development.

He said research could help strengthen agriculture, tourism and investment while ensuring that the mountain’s resources are used sustainably.

The governorate is also working to increase the economic value of local produce and develop value chains linked to agriculture and tourism, Al Saadi said, with the aim of generating greater returns for farmers and local businesses.

Sultan bin Mubarak Al Shaibani, Chairman of the Oman Memory Center, said bringing researchers together would help document Jabal Akhdar from historical, cultural, social, economic and environmental perspectives while making that knowledge more accessible.

Alongside the forum, H E Dr Al Shuaili opened a month-long exhibition featuring photographs, manuscripts and other exhibits tracing the mountain’s architecture, agriculture, environment and social history.

Best known for its terraced farms and cooler mountain climate, Jabal Akhdar produces crops including olives, pomegranates and figs, agricultural traditions that are increasingly being woven into the area’s wider tourism offering.