Jabal Akhdar – In a move aimed at consolidating the rose farming sector and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices in the sultanate, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources launched a value-added programme for rose cultivation in Jabal Akhdar on Tuesday.

Funded by Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, the programme called Enhancing the Added Value of the Omani Rose Crop is designed to empower rose farmers, improve product quality and boost the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

The programme will run over two years at a cost of RO150,000, directly benefitting more than 350 rose farmers in the wilayat, which is home to over 6,300 rose shrubs spread across ten acres.

According to the ministry, the programme seeks to improve agricultural operations through mechanisation and expand cultivated area. It also aims to build marketing and manufacturing chains and train farmers in developing value-added products derived from rose water.

The ministry confirmed that rose products represent a renewable source of livelihood for many farmers in Jabal Akhdar, and that the new programme is part of broader efforts to ensure sustainability in this traditional sector.

As part of the programme, supplies and support materials were distributed among farmers, while technical training and support for small and medium enterprises involved in extraction, distillation and processing were announced.