Youth get chance for farming in Buraimi

In a bid to boost agriculture and fisheries output in Oman, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOAF) is offering a new opportunity to the Omani youth to invest in a project in the Governorate of Al Buraimi.

The project will come up on a 10-acre plot in Al Sinaina. Only the citizens from Al Buraimi or Al Dhahirah governorates are eligible to apply. They have time till December 31 to apply.

They need to hold a secondary school certificate or a general diploma, and have prior experience in agriculture. They should have registered with the Public Authority for Social Insurance.

Applicants have to work as per the guidelines set by the ministry and comply with the cropping structure by dividing the project into three units: protected agriculture, open-field agriculture and aquaculture.

They should be able to fund the project as financing from banks or financial institutions can’t exceed 56 per cent of the project cost.

The ministry said it will train those selected through agricultural incubators at the research centres affiliated to it.

The Board of Directors of Agricultural and Fisheries Development Fund, at a recent meeting, approved the financing of 10 projects, including four agricultural and six fish projects at a total cost of RO 1.2 million.

The meeting, headed by Dr Fuad bin Jaafar al Sajwani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, discussed the progress made in projects supported by the fund.