Thursday 19 / September / 2024
Muscat: The Geno Business Forum began with participation of 100 experts, academics, lecturers and entrepreneurs, specialising in animal and plant genetic resources, marine organisms, microorganisms, agriculture, livestock and fisheries from inside and outside the Sultanate.
The forum is organised by Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Resources Centre (OAPGRC) of the Research Council (TRC) and with the technical support of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) as the first event of its kind at the regional level.
Dr. Fuad bin Ja’afar bin Mohammed Al Sajwani Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries said that the Sultanate enjoys a great biodiversity due to the geographical diversity and extension of the Sultanate from north to south, as well as climate diversity, which helps to diversify food production, whether in the wild or marine environment, as well as the production of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Nadia bint Abu Bakr Al Sa’adyiah, OAPGRC Executive Director said, “Geno Business Forum has been designed to have a long-term impact on how to think about the business sector, the public sector, the growing business community in the Sultanate’s genetic resources, and how to benefit from them in a sustainable manner”.
She added that the Sultanate has Omani varieties that tolerate drought and pest control and can play a large role to survive as a result of climate change in the world.
The two-day forum aims to raise public and private awareness in the Sultanate’s growing business community about the importance of diverse genetic resources in the Sultanate and to promote the sustainable utilisation of genetic resources in order to diversify the Omani economy. It also aims at bringing together local and international experts to discuss and share the opportunities provided by the sustainable exploitation and conservation of genetic resources through sharing tools and methodologies on how to do so.
The forum includes sessions on various topics, such as Oman’s unique and diverse natural group of flora, fauna, microbes and marine species, as well as other topics on organic waste, circular economics, natural cosmetics market and green life.
The opening of the forum included screening a documentary about the economic benefits of biodiversity and the launch of Nawa product, which includes a wide range of skin and body care products derived from Omani frankincense, as a collaboration between the OAPGRC and Al Asila Integrated Projects Company.
