Agriculture & Fisheries
From The Report: Oman 2018
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Targeted investment has seen Oman’s agriculture and fisheries sector make advances as the government seeks ways to sustain a growing population and foster a more diverse economy. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in 2016 production rose by 4.3% for agriculture and 8.7% for fisheries to 1.87m and 280,000 tonnes, respectively. Production is estimated to increase further given ongoing state support in areas ranging from dairy and aquaculture, to livestock and produce. Although Oman is in a strategic location between the vast markets of Europe and Asia, it is constrained in the types of products it can easily make commercially viable due to its arid climate, soil salinity and water scarcity. Still, the sultanate forges ahead with development plans by leveraging technology to open up new pathways to growth and self-sufficiency. This chapter contains an interview with Fuad bin Jaafar bin Mohammed Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Growing green: Strategic investments in a promising sector boost self- sufficiency and exports
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Targeted investments to enhance food security have seen Oman’s agriculture and fisheries sector make advances as the government seeks ways to sustain a growing population and foster a more diverse economy. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), in 2016 production rose by 4.3% for agriculture and 8.7% for fisheries to 1.87m and 280,000 tonnes, respectively. Production is estimated to increase further given ongoing state support in areas ranging from dairy and aquaculture,…

Interview

Reel opportunities: Fuad bin Jaafar bin Mohammed Al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth, on developments in commercial fishing and aquaculture
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Interview:Fuad bin Jaafar bin Mohammed Al Sajwani How can food import dependence be reduced as Oman works towards its ninth five-year plan goals? FUAD BIN JAAFAR BIN MOHAMMED AL SAJWANI: Oman is highly self-sufficient in fish. In 2014 our self-sufficiency in fish peaked at 216%, and in 2016 it remained high at 176%. Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth (MAFW) is planning to increase production from wild fisheries and aquaculture, from 280,000 tonnes in 2016 to 480,000 by 2020 and more than 700,000 by 2025. To achieve our production goals, the MAFW plans to improve coordination with the private sector to both build…

Analysis

Tipping the scales: Investments in aquaculture increase with government backing
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To make the fisheries sector more sustainable and boost long-term food security, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) has singled out aquaculture – commercial fish farming – as a priority segment for investment, creating opportunities for food businesses, investors and consultancy services. The ministry has identified a pipeline of 24 projects worth OR852.7m ($2.2bn) to develop the segment which, if carried out, would produce 293,000 tonnes of fish per year with a value of…