The Food Security Laboratory 2026 officially commenced today in Muscat under the theme "Localization of the Second Billion." This event is organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources of Oman and focuses on five strategic pillars aimed at improving investments, utilizing artificial intelligence, and empowering food security sectors to increase local production and develop manufacturing industries.
National Efforts to Strengthen Food Security
The organization of this laboratory, supported by Sheikh Ghassan Hilal Al-Alawi, President of the Financial and Administrative Audit Authority, is part of national efforts to strengthen the food security system in the Sultanate of Oman. This event aims to stimulate domestic and foreign investments and employ modern technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance local production and empower manufacturing industries, contributing to the realization of Oman Vision 2040 and the localization of the second billion.
Analysis of Food Costs and Economic Progress
Dr. Youssef Mohammed Al-Riyami, Director General of Statistics at the National Center for Statistics and Information, announced in a visual presentation that in 2025, household spending on food will account for 24.4 percent of total household expenditures. Additionally, the value of food stocks in the Sultanate of Oman is expected to reach approximately 5.2 billion Omani Rials in 2025, which includes 2.9 billion Rials from local production and 2.3 billion Rials from imports.
He added that the value added of the food sector to GDP increased from 1.416 billion Omani Rials in 2024 to 1.555 billion Omani Rials in 2025, reflecting a growth of 9.8 percent. The agriculture and livestock sector alone contributed approximately 624 million Omani Rials in value added.
Engineer Asma Hamoud Al-Hinai, Director of the Office for Monitoring the Implementation of Oman Vision 2040, also reviewed the efforts of food security laboratories in the localization of the second billion and the realization of the goals of this vision, stating that so far, 493 projects with an investment value of over 1.8 billion Omani Rials have been achieved.
The Food Security Laboratory 2026 focuses on five strategic pillars, including strengthening food security, sustainable development, and utilizing technological innovations to increase production and improve operational efficiency. Additionally, the launch of the electronic census for agriculture, fisheries, and water resources as an important tool in digital transformation was also announced at this event.
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