Overview
The agriculture sector in Oman employs ~180,000 (mostly smallholders) workers with an Omanisation rate of ~88%. Workforce development is a critical enabler of Vision 2040 objectives, requiring targeted interventions in skills training, career pathway development, and nationalisation policies tailored to sector-specific needs.
Key Indicators
| Indicator | Current | 2040 Target |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Employment | ~180,000 (mostly smallholders) | See 2040 targets |
| Omanisation Rate | ~88% | See 2040 targets |
| Key Employers | Ministry of Agriculture, Oman Food Inves… | Expanding |
Analysis
Workforce composition in Oman’s agriculture sector reflects both historical development patterns and emerging skill requirements. The current Omanisation rate of ~88% indicates strong progress toward nationalisation targets. Key employers including Ministry of Agriculture, Oman Food Investment Holding (OFIC), Al Namaa Poultry, Mazoon Dairy are implementing structured training programmes. However, skills gaps persist in technical specialisations, middle management, and digital competencies. The sector must balance rapid Omanisation with maintaining operational excellence and international competitiveness.
Challenges
Skills mismatch between education outputs and sector requirements remains the primary workforce challenge. Acute water scarcity (renewable water ~500 m3/capita/yr vs global average 6,000), arable land limited to ~5 percent of territory, high food import dependency (~60 percent of consumption), climate change stress, and fragmented smallholder farming. Additionally, retaining Omani talent in the face of competition from government and higher-paying sectors requires innovative compensation and career development frameworks.
Opportunities
Structured apprenticeship programmes, industry-academia partnerships, and TVET alignment with sector needs can accelerate workforce readiness. Controlled-environment agriculture (greenhouses, vertical farming), date processing and export (premium Omani dates), organic certification, agri-tech (precision irrigation, drone monitoring), and frankincense value chain development.
Vision 2040 Targets
Raise agriculture GDP share to 3 percent; reduce food import dependency to 40 percent; double date export value; deploy precision irrigation on 50 percent of farmland; establish 5 controlled-environment farming zones.