Muscat – Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) has launched a series of initiatives aimed at advancing the agriculture, livestock and fisheries sectors in  Dhahirah. This effort aligns with Oman Vision 2040, supporting the nation’s overarching food security goals.

An official from the ministry said the Directorate General of Agriculture and Water Resources in Dhahirah is focusing on programmes and projects that increase productivity in agriculture, livestock and water resources. These initiatives are designed to maximise local resources, empower farmers and foster sustainable growth.

In 2024, the directorate has made substantial progress in crop cultivation, livestock management and water resource development. By September, it had distributed close to 800 fruit seedlings and 19,500 wild seedlings to local farmers. Additionally, 3,000 fruit seedlings and 4,400 palm seedlings were provided as part of a model farming project, which aims to enhance agricultural output.

The governorate has also achieved a significant milestone in wheat production, ranking third with approximately 249 tonnes harvested from 245 acres in the 2023-2024 season. To support wheat cultivation, the directorate provides farmers high-yield seeds and field support.

As of September, 13,832 agricultural and animal holdings were registered in Dhahirah, with 10,633 focused on agriculture and 3,199 on livestock. The beekeeping sector is also well-supp-orted with the governorate havi- ng 982 licensed beekeepers and 23,457 hives. The directorate offers educational resources, training and conducts field visits to improve beekeeping practices.

In pest management, the dire-ctorate has been active in contro-lling the red palm weevil, treating 4,207 infected trees, removing 924 severely affected trees, and carrying out aerial and ground spraying in vulnerable areas.

Ensuring compliance across sectors, MAFWR’s Control Department conducted 88 inspections, identifying and addressing violations in water resources, agriculture and livestock activities to uphold standards. Food safety efforts are ongoing, with the Food Safety and Quality Dep-artment holding awareness talks and conducting regular health inspections in food establishments.

In line with its water security goals, the directorate has undertaken a project to rehabilitate and maintain 100 aflaj, completing work on 44 thus far, at a total cost of RO848,434.

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