MAFWR, OMIFCO signs two agreement to finance model grape farms, poultry farming projects

Muscat: The Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources today signed two agreements to finance the model grape farms project and the community partnership project for raising local poultry for the rural women sector with the Omani Fertilizer Company (OMIFCO).

The two agreements were signed by the Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Nasser Al Bakri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources for Agriculture, and by the Omani Indian Fertilizer Company (OMEFCO), Qasim bin Mohammed Al Balushi, Strategic Director of Social Investment in the company.

The Strategic Director of Social Investment at the Omani Indian Fertilizer Company (OMEFCO) said: By supporting the model grape farms in the North Al Sharqiyah Governorate and the poultry breeding project in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, we seek to enhance food security and raise production, in addition to providing job opportunities for citizens interested in the agricultural side, as well as rural women interested in raising poultry.

The model grape farms project being held in North Al Sharqiyah Governorate includes establishing a model investment farm for grapes with an area of ​​(100) acres, of which five acres are allocated for tourism agriculture projects in cooperation with a specialized company. The fields are managed by farmers specialized in grape cultivation and good agricultural practices and modern techniques for cultivation are applied and grape production.

The local poultry breeding project for the rural women sector, which is being held in the Wilayat of Sur in the South Al Sharqiyah Governorate, includes training rural women to develop future projects of an investment nature in the field of poultry to provide the local egg product and white meat with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency and enhancing food security.

Dr. Khair bin Tuwair Al Busaidi, Director of the Palm and Plant Production Department at the Ministry of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources, said: The cooperation agreement to support model grape farms comes with the aim of strengthening the food security system in the Sultanate of Oman, where various types of grapes will be grown using all modern technologies in the agricultural field.

Eng. Khalid bin Hamdan Al-Hadrami, Director of the Department of Agricultural Wealth, Fisheries and Water Resources in the Wilayat of Sur, pointed out that the local poultry breeding project in the Wilayat of Sur comes to serve the rural women sector and no less than 7 villages in the state and is implemented on an area estimated at more than 7000 square meters, which is the establishment of barns.

Raising local poultry with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in eggs and creating job opportunities for rural women in the state. In the first phase, 30 women will be trained, with a larger number of beneficiaries expected to be accommodated in the future.