FAO organizes a study tour for representatives of the Omani Ministry of Agriculture

21 December, 2022, Italy- In the framework of the“ Development, Production and Multiplication of Certified Citrus Propagation Materials” project, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a study tour in Italy for two Omani staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources in collaboration with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari (CIHEAM Bari) in order to exchange the best practices on the production and propagation of citrus plants free from diseases. 

The training course and technical visits were coordinated by CIHEAM Bari experts Khaled Djelouah, the Scientific Administrator of the Integrated Pest Management Sector, and Giuseppe Cavallo, a Technical Agent, to strengthen the knowledge and skills of the Omani trainees on citrus certification programs. 

During the visit, the trainees visited the Conservation center Martucci, at the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences at the University of Bari, the pre-multiplication center in the Centre of Research, Experimentation and Training Center in Agriculture (CRSFA) Basile Caramia in Locorotondo, the Mother plant plots of the nursery’s consortium in Palagiano, the Nurseries of Milone and Serratore located in Lamezia Terme and the experimental germplasm plot of the Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crops in Acireale (CREA). 

FAO and the Sultanate of Oman launched the “Development, Production and Multiplication of Certified Citrus Propagation Materials” project in 2018 to strengthen the already existing facilities of the previous certification programme and to review and assess the required updates. Furthermore, the project aims to support nurserymen organizations and raise awareness for the use of true-to-type and healthy planting material through a certification scheme to secure higher quality nursery planting materials. 

In addition, the project goals include evaluating the facilities needed for mass production and distribution of the certified plants originating from primary sources and mother plants. The project also works on identifying governmental and private sector actors to be involved directly and indirectly in implementing the legislating process for the citrus certification programme and relative protocols for inspections.