Leading domestic and international scientists will gather this week for a two-day workshop to discuss the National Plant Agrobiodiversity Conservation Strategy in Oman.

Organised by the Oman Animal and Plant Genetic Resources Center (OAPGRC), and held at the Park Inn Hotel, the workshop will cover themes including Oman’s plant agrobiodiversity; local plant species on the IUCN’s Red List; the use of plant genetic resources; conservation strategies for crop landraces; crop wild relatives, and medicinal plants; and the impact of climate change on plant genetic resources, said a statement.

In addition to OAPGRC, organisations providing input to the strategy and participating at the two-day workshop include representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries; Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs; Ministry of Heritage & Culture; Sultan Qaboos University; Oman Botanic Garden; National Field Research Centre for Environment Conservation; and Royal Court Affairs.  

Advising on the strategy is Dr Nigel Maxted, senior lecturer in Genetic Conservation at the University of Birmingham.

Dr Maxted is a globally recognised genetic conservation expert who has recently been involved in developing a strategic options paper for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Dr Nadiya Al Saady, executive director, OAPGRC, said: “We’re honoured to have Dr Maxted collaborate with us on this important national strategy.”

Each workshop theme will be introduced through invited presentations, followed by brainstorming and consensus building. Workshop recommendations will be circulated to stakeholders for consideration and follow-up action.

According to the OAPGRC executive director, the two-day session is about identifying ways to effectively share timely and important information about Oman’s agrobiodiversity with decision-makers and further develop the draft National Plant Agrobiodiversity Conservation Strategy.

The FAO defines agrobiodiversity as the variety and variability of animals, plants and micro-organisms that are important to food and agriculture and which result from the interaction between the environment, genetic resources and the management systems and practices used by people. And according to Dr Ali Hussein Al Lawati, OAPGRC’s plant genetic resources expert, population growth, climate change, globalization, migration, pollution and changing consumer expectations for cheap, all-year-round food are all threatening agrobiodiversity.

Dr Al Lawati said: “In simple terms, these factors are leading to the loss of genetic diversity in domesticated plants and animals. And these losses matter and affect everyone. Agrobiodiversity is important to the economic and social well-being of Oman and the workshop is part of the sultanate’s on-going research into how it tackles current challenges, conserves local crops and livestock and prevents further agrobiodiversity loss.”

“Let’s be clear,” explained Dr. Al Saady: “the rate at which we’re losing agrobiodiversity is alarming. Fortunately. Oman’s been blessed with a rich abundance of biodiversity of which our plant agrobiodiversity is a significant and vital part. But conserving them is an imperative,” he added. - TradeArabia News Service