Monday 08 / September / 2025
Muscat: Sultan Qaboos University, represented by College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Minerals and its corporate social responsibility (CSR) committee members which include Daleel Petroleum, OQ Exploration and Production SAOG, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), bp Oman, Oxy Oman and CC Energy Development, implemented the Jinan Tech project. This project focused on designing and constructing Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) structures to boost crop production and sustainability as well as increase water and energy use efficiency.
The second stage of the Jinan Tech project focused on field construction and installation, advancing from the planning to implementation phase. This stage includes setting up of three agricultural structures, whereby they include traditional structures used by most Omani farmers, a high-tech structure based on smart Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and a hybrid design that combines the features of the two previous models. The first stage of this project focused on studying the local agricultural challenges through field visits to local farms as well as international visits to research the latest designs and technologies used globally in agriculture sector in environmentally controlled agriculture.
Following the completion of the greenhouse construction, the research teams will prepare for the third stage of the project which will involve conducting training workshops targeting farmers, school and university students, employees, and entrepreneurs in relevant small and medium-sized enterprises, to enhance the project's impact and expected benefits.
Hager Al Azri, CSR Advisor at Ministry of Energy and Minerals commented: “Jinan Tech project reflects our commitment in supporting innovation to achieve sustainable food security and this collaboration between the government, private sector, and academia, is the proof of that, where we seek to enhance agricultural efficiency, support scientific research, and achieve a tangible social impact.”
Dr. Yaseen Al Mulla, Jinan Tech’s project principal investigator, further added: “We are proud to start the second stage of the project, which moves us from planning to actual implementation. We are focusing on implementing smart agricultural models that suit the local environment, utilizing the latest technologies. We hope that these smart agricultural models will bring about a shift in sustainable agricultural practices in the Sultanate.
