Definition
Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. The concept rests on four pillars: availability of food through domestic production and imports; access determined by income and market conditions; utilisation relating to nutrition and food safety; and stability ensuring consistent supply despite shocks such as droughts, pandemics, or supply-chain disruptions.
Context in Oman
Oman imports roughly 60 to 70 percent of its food requirements, making it vulnerable to global supply-chain disruptions and commodity-price volatility. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored these risks and accelerated the National Food Security Strategy. The government has invested in controlled-environment agriculture, including greenhouses and vertical farms in Barka and Al Batinah. The Oman Food Investment Holding Company (OFIC) leads strategic investments in fisheries, poultry, dairy, and date processing to raise domestic self-sufficiency ratios.
Connection to Vision 2040
Vision 2040 treats food security as a matter of national resilience. The strategy promotes agricultural technology adoption, sustainable water management in farming, and diversification of import sources. Investments in aquaculture aim to raise fish production to 600,000 tonnes by 2040. Strategic grain reserves and bilateral food-supply agreements with partner nations provide buffers against global market shocks. The approach balances domestic production increases with smart trade policies.
Key Facts
Oman imports between 60 and 70 percent of its total food needs. OFIC manages a portfolio of food-sector investments exceeding 500 million OMR. The country aims to raise fisheries output to 600,000 tonnes by 2040. Controlled-environment farms in Al Batinah use 90 percent less water than traditional agriculture. Oman’s strategic food reserve covers approximately four months of essential staples.