The Sultanate of Oman Embraces Farm Business Schools

The Government of the Sultanate of Oman recognizes the vital role of agricultural extension and related support services and thus constantly strives to reinvent and align it to the needs of the market. In this context, the “Strengthening Extension and Support services system” project was launched in 2019, with the aim of enhancing the market orientation of extension and related support services to contribute to increasing productivity, profitability, and improving livelihoods of small- and medium scale men and women producers in line with the national development priorities in Oman.

With this in mind, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has joined forces with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Wealth and Water Resources (MAFWR), and the Zubair Enterprises Development Centre (Zubair EDC) to introduce the Farm Business School (FBS) approach for the first time in the Sultanate. The FBS is a curriculum-based participatory extension approach, which aims to promote market-orientation and enable transitioning to “farming as a business”, through a shift in focus from increasing production to improving farm management and profitability. The approach aims at developing the capacities of extensionists and farmers in farm management, business planning and financial literacy, while enabling farmers to make informed decisions to manage their farms as successful businesses and respond to market demands.

Capitalizing on the experience of FBS implementation in Lebanon, where an Arabic version of the FBS training package has been developed, FAO trained a core team of Omani trainers (4 males and 3 females) on the Farm Business Schools approach. Through a mix of online training, self-study and coaching sessions, the trainers were equipped with key concepts and methodological tools enabling them to effectively develop the capacities of facilitators and support the roll out of FBS in Oman. This was followed by training of facilitators, who in turn will implement the FBS with interested farmers.

The FBS inaugural workshop and training of facilitators was organized on the 6th of March 2022 at the Omani Women's Association premises in Suwaiq, South Batinah Governorate. The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Nasser Al Bakry, Undersecretary for Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Wealth & Water Resources. The workshop provided an opportunity for the first batch of 14 facilitators, who arrived from various governorates in the Sultanate, to master the FBS approach to support the roll out of FBS across the country.

Facilitators, with the support of the Master Trainers, have conducted innovative introductory sessions on FBS in different governorates in the Sultanate to sensitize farmers on the approach and mobilize their interest in joining the Farm Business Schools that will be implemented in the upcoming agricultural season.

In parallel, to further enhance and develop Oman’s agricultural extension system and the implementation of the FBS curriculum, A national action plan was developed on “Strengthening extension and advisory services from a pluralistic and market-oriented perspective for inclusive rural transformation in the Sultanate of Oman”. It was validated in a consultative workshop on the 26th of October 2022.

The project contributes towards more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems in line with FAO Strategic Framework 2022-2031. It specifically contributes to achieving Better Production and Better Life, through improving Smallholders’ Access to Resources and their participation in Inclusive Rural Transformation respectively.