Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources

What Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources does

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) is the Sultanate of Oman's sovereign government ministry responsible for regulating and developing the agricultural, livestock, fisheries, food safety, and water resources sectors. It serves Oman's farmers, fishermen, livestock owners, private agricultural investors, and the broader population through policy-setting, public services, financing programmes, and infrastructure investments, with no commercial revenue model. The ministry operates an electronic services portal, runs national awareness campaigns such as the 'Hikayat Qatra' water awareness initiative, and delivers financing schemes like the Solar Energy - Sustainable Harvest programme (offering up to RO 15,000 zero-interest loans for full-time farmers and 3% for part-time farmers).

Its underlying technology stack spans modern agrivoltaics (solar farming integrated with date palms, greenhouse tomatoes, and industrial crops), aquaponics, tissue culture laboratories for domestic seedling production, AI/IoT/drone systems for precision agriculture, and circular-economy feed manufacturing that recycles agricultural green residues and date byproducts into animal and aquaculture feed. The ministry oversees a National Food Investment Programme of RO 1,717.5 million across 407+ projects (as of August 2025), distributed across plant wealth (264 projects, RO 439.9M), livestock (60 projects, RO 308M), fisheries (59 projects, RO 601.3M), and water resources (24 projects, RO 368.3M). Key infrastructure includes the RO 36M Khazaen Economic City feed factory (Phase 1: 48,000 tonnes/year animal feed + 15,000 tonnes/year aquatic feed), the RO 6.2M United Gulf Fish Products factory in Mahawt, and Al Najd Agricultural City in Dhofar (5 sq km zero-waste development for 13,000 residents and 6,500 jobs).

The ministry's business model is sovereign: it generates no commercial revenue and is funded through state budget allocations. Its economic impact is measured via sector value-added (food sector contributed RO 1,426M / 3.5% of GDP in 2024, up from 3.2% in 2023), and it has driven overall food self-sufficiency to 65.8% with key commodities exceeding 75% self-sufficiency (fish 146%, dates 99%, milk 96%, eggs 95%, cucumbers 100%, cantaloupe 98%, peppers 96%). Distribution is purely domestic across all Omani governorates, and the ministry coordinates with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, SEZAD, the Development Bank of Oman, WHO, and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development to deliver its mandate under Oman Vision 2040 and the 11th Five-Year Plan.

Name

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources

Legal name

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources

Website

https://mafwr.gov.om

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources is Oman's sovereign government ministry regulating agriculture, fisheries, livestock, food safety, and water resources, serving farmers, fishermen, and investors across all Omani governorates through policy, financing programmes, and a RO 1.7 billion food security investment portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Administration

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Farm Management Services (115116), Aquaculture (11251)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAG

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

Keywords

• Government agricultural services
• Fisheries regulation
• Water resource management
• Food security programs
• Agricultural investment facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Al Khuwayrah

HQ country

Oman

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) of Oman is a state government ministry that regulates, develops, and invests in Oman's agriculture, livestock, fisheries, water resources, and food security sectors. It delivers public services including electronic government services, financing and subsidy programmes (such as zero-interest solar loans up to RO 15,000), national awareness campaigns, strategic food security planning, and the facilitation of investment projects across the sultanate. It also develops and operates agricultural infrastructure including tissue culture laboratories, feed production factories, fish processing facilities, and designated agricultural investment zones.

Product overview

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources (MAFWR) of Oman operates as a government ministry providing public services and managing agricultural, livestock, fisheries, and water resources sectors. The ministry's offerings include a comprehensive website portal with electronic services, national awareness campaigns (such as the 'Drop Story' water awareness initiative), financial support programmes (like the Solar Energy – Sustainable Harvest programme offering up to RO 15,000 in financing), and strategic initiatives like the annual Food Security Laboratory. The ministry also supports and invests in agricultural facilities including tissue culture laboratories, greenhouse cultivation projects, feed production factories, and fish processing facilities across Oman. Key infrastructure projects include the Khazain Economic City feed factory (producing 48,000 tonnes animal feed and 15,000 tonnes aquaculture feed annually) and the Gulf United Fish Products factory in Mawhat. The ministry coordinates with various government entities and development banks to implement programmes supporting food security and economic diversification aligned with Oman Vision 2040.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ministry Website Portal (بوابة الخدمات الإلكترونية)

Quantifiable outcome

• Self-sufficiency rate improved from 3.2% to 3.5% of GDP contribution from food sector (RO 1,314M to RO 1,426M)
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nafath Renewable EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Nafath Renewable Energy collaborated with the Ministry and the Development Bank to launch the 'Solar Energy – Sustainable Harvest' programme, helping farmers install solar power systems to cut farming costs and boost food security.
• Al Sharqiyah North GovernoratecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Al Sharqiyah North Governorate and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources co-organised the 3rd Grape Festival 2026 in Al Mudhaibi. The governorate has emerged as Oman's 'Grape Capital' with 492% growth in cultivation (27 to 162 feddans), targeting 200 feddans producing 2,000 tonnes annually with RO 3M+ returns.
• Omani-Bahraini Friendship AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A memorandum of cooperation was signed between Al Sharqiyah North Governorate and the Omani-Bahraini Friendship Association to implement training programmes for grape farmers in processing industries, supporting value-addition and export capabilities.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025WHO experts participated in the International Food Safety Alliance Coalition second meeting hosted by Oman through the ministry's Food Safety and Quality Centre. Discussions covered integrating foodborne diseases into national surveillance systems and strengthening laboratory capacities.
• International Food Safety Alliance Coalition (30 countries)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 October 2025Oman hosted the second meeting of the International Food Safety Alliance Coalition with 30 countries, experts from WHO, and national stakeholders, focusing on integrating foodborne diseases into national surveillance and building laboratory capacities.
• Ministry of Housing and Urban PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources backs the Al Najd Agricultural City project in Dhofar Governorate, led by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning. This is Oman's first zero-waste agricultural development (5 sq km, 13,000 residents, 6,500 jobs) integrating date palms, greenhouse tomatoes, and industrial crops with agrivoltaics and aquaponics.
• Omani-Bahraini Friendship AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025Memorandum of cooperation signed to implement training programmes for grape farmers in processing industries, supporting value-addition and export capabilities for Omani grape producers.
• Arab Organization for Agricultural DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025Co-organised the '5th Generation Agriculture Entrepreneurship Forum' with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, a 5-day event showcasing 5G technologies (AI, IoT, drones) for agriculture and building entrepreneurship capacities.
• National Centre for Statistics and InformationcoreTechnology or Integration · 5 October 2025Ongoing collaboration on developing a sub-sector economic accounts system for the agricultural, fisheries, and water sectors, consolidating data systems and generating accurate statistics to support food security planning and national accounts.
• Nama Water (نماء لخدمات المياه)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025Ministry signed a cooperation agreement with Nama Water to train SMEs in modern irrigation systems and household pipe fitting, enabling 80 entrepreneur beneficiaries and enhancing water use efficiency.
• Omifco and Arabian Agricultural CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025The Omani Flour Mills Company (through the Animal and Aquatic Feed Factory at Khazaen Economic City) and other Arabian agricultural companies are key partners in the RO 36M feed factory project that aims to reduce Oman's dependence on imported feed.
• Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZAD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2025The ministry collaborates with SEZAD on fisheries projects including the Khasab Fishing Port development and aquaculture initiatives in Special Economic Zones, as witnessed by SEZAD Chairman at the United Gulf Fish Products factory inauguration.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment: The UAE's federal ministry overseeing agriculture, food security, water, and environmental policy. Directly comparable as a Gulf state government entity managing food security strategy, water resources, and fisheries at national scale, with overlapping agritech (hydroponics, vertical farming) and food-import-substitution mandates.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): UN specialised agency coordinating international efforts against hunger, with active programmes in Oman for fisheries, water management, and food security. Comparable as a global authority shaping the same policy domains, providing technical assistance frameworks and standards that shape national ministry strategy.
• Saudi Arabia Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture: Saudi Arabia's ministry responsible for agriculture, water, and environmental regulation. Comparable as the largest GCC national food security and water authority, running similar investment programmes, sustainable agriculture initiatives, and Vision 2030-aligned rural development projects.
• Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD): League of Arab States body responsible for coordinating agricultural development across the Arab world. Comparable as a regional co-organiser of MAFWR's 5G Agriculture Entrepreneurship Forum and a peer pan-Arab entity operating in the same policy domain of agricultural modernisation and food security.

Direct peers

• Qatar Ministry of Municipality and Environment: Qatar's ministry responsible for agriculture, fisheries, livestock, food security, and water. Directly comparable as a small GCC state government body pursuing food self-sufficiency, modern irrigation, and aquaculture development under arid-climate constraints, with similar investment programme structures.
• Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (Kuwait): Kuwait's government body responsible for agriculture, fisheries, and food security policy. Closely comparable as a Gulf state entity managing fisheries wealth, livestock, crop production, and water resources under similar climatic constraints, with a national self-sufficiency mandate.
• Bahrain Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning: Bahrain's ministry covering agricultural affairs, municipalities, and urban planning. Comparable as a fellow GCC state body administering agricultural development, fisheries, and water/wastewater services under similarly water-scarce conditions with national-level regulatory authority.

Regional players

• National Center for Agricultural Research and Extension (Jordan): Jordan's national agricultural research and extension body operating in an even more water-scarce environment. Comparable as a regional government entity that has pioneered arid-climate agriculture, tissue culture, and water-efficient farming techniques relevant to Oman's programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MAFWR_OM
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@mafwr_om
• Facebookfacebook.com/mafwr.om
• Instagraminstagram.com/mafwr_om

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources