Since the agricultural system receives international attention to achieve food security worldwide, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources organized Oman 6th International Conference on Food Safety and Quality which addresses the use of artificial intelligence in agricultural technologies.

The Million Date Palm Plantation Project is one of the most important examples of utilizing smart irrigation systems in order to drive nutritional, economic, social and environmental benefits. The farms of the project adopt advanced technologies in their irrigation systems to effectively manage water resources and minimize depletion. In addition, it employs technology to enhance date manufacturing processes and thereby increase productivity.

Also, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) have been employed in pollination and early detection of diseases and pests that pose potential risks to palm trees, in accordance with a memorandum of understanding signed by the Royal Court Affairs and Oman Technology Fund.

A scientific study was conducted at the College of Agriculture and Marine Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University and aims at evaluating fish freshness using advanced techniques such as electronic nose and tongue. The study will set the scientific foundation and establish the protocols and guidelines for using this technology.

 

The use of drones in agriculture in Oman

A team of Omani researchers succeeded in developing an innovative and expeditious technique for pollinating palm trees using drones to spray a water-suspended pollen grain onto date palm pollen. As opposed to the conventional pollination methods, where  a single worker pollinates 6 palm trees per hour, drones have the capacity to efficiently pollinate approximately 1000 palm trees within the same time frame.

The utilization of drones offers several additional advantages, including:

  • Monitor agricultural operations
  • Cultivation of high-demand crops
  • Prioritizing agricultural safety by collecting detailed information to monitor the vegetation index and protect the corp from potential diseases and pests

Furthermore, drones were employed in the Dhofar Governorate to identify the various types of frankincense trees and their places of cultivation. They are also used to spray pesticides on palm trees in Al Sharqiyah South Governorate as a further step towards achieving a healthy and productive agricultural environment.