Muscat: The signing was held under the patronage of His Highness Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar, and attended by His Excellency Dr. Saud bin Hamoud Al Habsi, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources. The agreement was signed by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed bin Nasser Al Bakri, Undersecretary for Agriculture, on behalf of Oman, and Kei Toyama, Director General of the Middle East and Europe Department at JICA, on behalf of Japan.

The master plan aims to harness the Najd region’s rich natural endowments, its abundant water resources, vast agricultural areas, and fertile flatlands,making it a promising destination for agricultural investment. The project is expected to boost local production and strengthen Oman’s food security framework.

Engineer Saeed bin Mohammed Al-Wahshi, Director of the Najd Agricultural Region Development Office, told the Oman News Agency that the agreement reflects Oman’s deepening partnership with Japan. He noted that the plan will help establish Najd as a strategic food hub for the Sultanate in line with Oman Vision 2040, with a focus on sustainability, resilience, and global expertise in planning.