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and highlight hindrances in order to overcome them
aiming at achievement of the goal of sustainable development of the agricultural
sector in the long term .
The symposium on (Sustainable Development Of The
Agricultural Sector
- Follow-Up Of The Implementation Of Recommendations) has been held at the Royal
Camp at Seih Al Masarrat in Wilayat Ibri from 13-15 Dhul-Qaada 1430 ; 1-3
November 2009 under the auspices of H.E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Zahir
Al Hinai – Minister of Justice .
The symposium aimed at identifying the ways and means that ensure long term
sustainability of agricultural development via activating the implementation of
the recommendations of the previous symposium and assessing the activities ,
mechanisms and programmes taken to implement them to reach the prospective
goals. The symposium covered six main dimensions namely : (1) Land Development ,
Protection and Improvement of the Pattern of use (2) Integrated Water Resources
Management in the Agricultural Sector (3) Regulating the Recruitment and
Employment of Expatriate Labour Force (4) Marketing, Financing and Encouragement
of the Private Sector (5) Agricultural Data , Research and Extension (6)
Institutional and Legal Frameworks and Local Systems .
Within these dimensions , eleven working papers were presented by the units
entrusted with the task of implementing the recommendations - an arrangement
that helped to produce papers reflecting the actual implementation status. The
morning sessions were accompanied by evening workshops chaired by their
excellencies the Undersecretaries with participation of representatives from
Majlis A’ddawla and A’Shawra, concerned authorities from both government and
private sectors , farmers and students . During these workshops, the working
papers were reviewed to reach recommendations and mechanisms that could be
applied by national cadres who are much aware of the issues and needs of this
vital sector .
Farmers participation has played a significant role in enriching the symposium
by displaying their successful experiences. On the sidelines of the symposium an
exhibition where the government units and private sector enterprises displayed
their products and outputs of the programmes and projects related to the
previous symposium has been organized.
The discussions based on the working papers presented showed that the
implementation of the recommendations of the previous symposium has been good
.Tangible achievements have been made in the different fields of the
agricultural sector which included :
Increase of productivity per feddan to (798) Riyals in 2008, representing a
total increase of (21%) compared to 2006
Increase of cropped area under modern irrigation systems to (31) thousand feddan
i.e total increase of (15%) compared to 2006 .
Increase of the agricultural area under modern irrigation systems through
government support to (4) thousand feddans compared to (413) feddan in 2006 .
This was positively reflected on the overall performance indicators of the
sector where :
the value added at current prices increased from R.O (117) million in 2006 to
R.O (152) million, a total increase of (29%) .
The export value of Omani origin agricultural products increased to R.O (13)
million i.e a total increase of (37%) compared to 2006 .Through the deliberations and discussions during the morning sessions and the
evening workshops, the symposium came out with the following recommendations
that have been blessed and approved by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said: | 
Economical Analysis
Closing Statement
on the Agricultural Sector Sustainable Development
(Follow-up of the implementation of recommendations) 
Introduction