Thursday 12 / November / 2026
Muscat--- The 2026 Food Security Lab concluded today with the approval of strategic initiatives and projects to achieve the second billion localization targets and strengthen food security in the Sultanate of Oman. These include 16 enabling initiatives and 111 investment projects valued at more than RO 100 million, along with the signing of 10 agreements supporting food security sectors.
The closing ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr. Abdulsalam Mohammed Al Murshidi, President of Oman Investment Authority.
Dr. Masoud Sulaiman Al Azri, General Supervisor of the 2026 Food Security Lab, affirmed that the lab's outputs support the drive to increase local production and localize food industries. This is achieved by linking investment opportunities with enabling initiatives that facilitate project implementation and enhance competitiveness. He stressed that preparing the investment environment and improving value chain efficiency are two pillars for achieving the "second billion localization" target and raising the contribution of food security sectors to the national economy.
On her turn, Eng. Asma Hamoud Al Hinai, Director of Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-up Office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said the lab contributed to laying out a roadmap for implementing food security programmes under the Eleventh Five-Year Plan (2026–2030). This is through nine main programmes overseen by the ministry, covering the enhancement of food and water security, enabling the blue economy, sustainable management and development of agricultural and fisheries wealth, advancing research, innovation and food safety, and maximizing the economic returns of related sectors.
She explained that the total projects of the food security investment programme as of the lab's conclusion reached 376, valued at approximately RO 899 million, distributed across four sectors. The plant wealth sector includes 158 projects worth RO 77 million, the livestock sector 75 projects worth RO 261 million, the fisheries sector 98 projects worth RO 178 million, and the water resources sector 45 projects worth RO 383 million.
She added that the lab identified a list of 25 targeted commodities under the "second billion localization" directions. These include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, vegetable oils, meat, dairy, fish and water, as well as other food commodities. The aim is to direct investments toward opportunities that increase local production and raise self-sufficiency levels by 2030.
The closing ceremony saw the signing of several investment agreements between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources and the companies implementing the projects. They were signed by Eng. Salim Sulaiman Al Dhuhli, Chief Executive Officer of Khazaen, in support of qualitative investments and value-added food industries.
The agreements included the establishment of a specialized factory to produce omega-3 from refined fish oil for "Omega Arabia" company, with an investment of RO 28 million on an area of approximately 29,888 square metres. An agreement was also signed with "Al Taj Al Jadeed Investment" company to establish an integrated factory for producing mineral water, sparkling water, soft drinks, dairy and tomato products, with an investment estimated at about RO 1.554 million on an area of 10,000 square metres, supporting the diversity of locally manufactured products.
The agreements also included a project to establish a factory for producing frozen and semi-fried potatoes for "Al Ataa Food Industries" company, with an investment of RO 600,000 on an area of 5,243 square metres, to meet local market needs and enhance the value added of agricultural products.
The lab's sessions and workshops focused on developing investment opportunities, addressing challenges facing project implementation, and strengthening public-private sector partnership. They also focused on employing innovation and modern technologies to raise production efficiency and supply chain sustainability, in line with the targets of Oman Vision 2040.
