Increasing the Resilience of the Food Systems
In Islamic States in Face of Future Food Crises
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management. The National Water Resource Management Master Plan in Oman encourages
water conservation initiatives such as promotion of wastewater re-usage.485
Mitigation: Risk and vulnerability reduction
The agricultural sector in Oman has primarily strengthened on the back of government
initiatives. In 2016, theMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries distributed 89,000 kg of seeds and
235,000 kg of fruit seedlings to farmers via 76 agricultural development centers.486
Oman has introduced soilless agriculture (hydroponics) and vertical agriculturewithmore than
6,000 greenhouses in the Sultanate deploying soilless farming techniques. Modern farming
systems have helped increasewater and fertilizer efficiency aswell as agricultural productivity.
TheMinistry of Agriculture and Fisheries in collaborationwith theMinistry of Education offered
training and education on modern farming techniques at multiple schools across the
Sultanate.487
In 2016, Oman in collaboration with the Malaysian government’s “Performance Management
and Delivery Unit (PEMANDU)” launched Tanfeedh, the national program for economic
diversification. The fisheries sector was identified as one of the vital sectors.488
In 1994, agriculture and energy sectors were the biggest contributors to carbon emissions in
Oman. The country legislated conservation of the environment and combating pollution via a
Royal Decree (Royal Decree No. 114/01) in 2001 489. Oman launched the Ministry of
Environment and Climate Affairs in 2007. It also formally ratified the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change and its KYOTO Protocol to reduce greenhouse gas emissions490.
In terms of healthcare, Oman introduced Health Vision 2050 in 2014, a program aimed at
creating a streamlined and responsive health system across the Sultanate. The establishment of
10,000 health centers as well as multiple missions covering health technologies and primary
care are a few initiatives of the program.491
Adaptation: Social safety nets
The government of Oman has launched several programs and measures to ensure the social
safety of its citizens including food subsidies and school nutrition programs. For the surveillance
and control of infectious diseases, the Lawof Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases
was passed via Royal Decree No. 73/92.492
485 “Food and water security to 2025 in Oman”. Future Directions, 2018.
content/uploads/2015/06/The_Sultanate_of_Oman_-_Food_and_Water_Security_to_2025.pdf
486 “Growing green strategic investments to boostself-sufficiency and exports”. Oxford Business Group, 2018.
and-exports
487 “Technology in farming key to food security”. Oman Observer, 2018.
farming-key-to-food-security/
488 “Oman’s economic diversification plan Tanfeedh starts today.” Times of Oman, 2018.
489 WHOwebsite.
490 “Oman takes part in UNclimate change conference”, Muscat Daily, 2018.
takes-part-in-UN-climate-change-conference-in-Bonn-54w7
491 “Oman healthcare pharmaceuticals report”. Arabisk London, 2019.
healthcare-pharmaceuticals-report-january-2019/
492 MOH website.
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